Nattiq and the Land of Statues

K-Gr 2–Nattiq, a ringed seal, returns to the Arctic after a long trek south, and recounts his travels to his friends—caribou, polar bear, walrus, raven, and narwhal. He explains how he swam through crystal waters, past the mysterious wonders of the aqsarniit (Northern Lights) in winter, and past the green tundra with purple and red flowers and fluffy white kanguujait (Arctic cotton) in summer, until reaching the part of land where the “strange statues” (trees) appear. Nattiq is awestruck by the trees, realizing that they are alive. He lovingly describes the trees throughout the seasons. “In winter, when the wind rises, they begin to howl...in upirngaaq (spring), the statues open their arms to the creatures of the sky.” The animals are mesmerized by what they hear about the trees. Nattiq explains that the trees cannot fly, swim, or visit them. But Nattiq promises to return to the statues each year and bring stories of the Arctic to them. The lyrical text is peppered with Inuktitut words. The digitally rendered illustrations are visually stunning, enhancing the dreamlike mood of the book. A glossary of the Inuktitut words is included in the back pages.