Lemming’s First Christmas

PreS–When Avinngaq (the Inuktitut word for lemming) hears children singing “Santa Claus is coming to town,” she wonders who they are singing about and learns from her friend Qimmiq (sled dog) that Santa is someone who leaves presents under a tree. Then she wants to know what a tree is and asks all of the Arctic animals to show her, but none can—until she finally, and accidentally, finds one herself. Inuit author Fournier is known for his horror writing, but this simple tale is quite a contrast. Here, cuteness reigns and classic preschool humor is employed when the animals keep bringing things that are not trees. Unfortunately, readers don’t get to figure out the joke for themselves, since the text states, “Tuktu [caribou] brought a flower,” or “Natsiq [seal] brought some seaweed,” before each time Qimmiq says the refrain: “That is not a tree.” However, pre-readers may notice the picture first and still feel clever. The handy pronunciation guide at the end will be much appreciated by those reading aloud. Mack’s illustrations leave no doubt of the artist’s background in animation. The flat but lively cartoon characters inhabit a world with an extremely limited palette of blue and pink that will attract the youngest readers.