• Age: 3 to 7
• Grade: p to 2
• Reading age: 3 to 7

In this charming story that includes words in Inuktitut, a ringed seal returns to the Arctic with stories of discovery and friendship.

A ringed seal, known in Inuktitut as ᓇᑦᑎᖅ nattiq, has returned to his Arctic home after a long journey south. His friends — a polar bear, caribou, raven, walrus and narwhal — gather round to hear about his trip.

“What did you see beyond our land?” shouts the polar bear.

ᓇᑦᑎᖅ nattiq describes the amazing sights he has seen — from crystal clear waters full of giant icebergs to the tundra in full summertime bloom to strange, tall statues, far to the south. The statues swayed in the autumn breeze, howled when winter storms set in and opened their arms to nesting birds in the spring.

“They can never come and visit us,” ᓇᑦᑎᖅ nattiq explains to his friends, and so he plans to return south every year to tell them stories from the Arctic.

Inspired by her travels, Barbara Landry has written an imaginative story about discovery and friendship. Martha Kyak brings her familiarity with the North to the stunning illustrations. Includes a glossary of Inuktitut words.

Key Text Features
labels
glossary

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.4
Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.

BARBARA LANDRY is a musician and writer who has published several books of poetry, including ᓄᓇᒥnunami: Poems from the Arctic. She spent ten years in Mexico teaching music and English to young children, and she has taught English as a Second Language in Toronto. Barbara has also spent time with the Inuit community in Nunavut, where she was captivated by the landscape and studied Inuktitut. Her travels in the North inspired her to write this story, her first children’s book. She lives in Toronto.

Barbara Landry's profile page

MARTHA KYAK is a fashion designer and artist who grew up in Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet), Nunavut. She has exhibited her InukChic garments, which combine traditional Inuit and contemporary design, as well as paintings and jewelry across Canada. She has also illustrated several children’s books and has had a long career as an educator. Martha currently teaches Inuit history and Inuktitut at Nunavut Sivuniksavut, a college program for Inuit youth in Ottawa.

Martha Kyak's profile page

• Commended, Mighty Village Spring Book Picks
• Commended, CBC Best Canadian Picture Books
• Winner, Toronto Public Library First and Best

[S]parse but poetic and moving language … Nattiq’s awe and respect for the beautiful tree-inhabited world is contagious.

Quill & Quire

Through a poetic voice and digitally layered illustrations imbued with movement, ᓇᑦᑎᕐᒃ nattiq and the Land of Statues brings its readers on a journey, which reveals nature’s rhythmic beauty, and offers up the wonder of being delightfully and utterly transported by a story.

Mighty Village

A sweet animal adventure and a valuable addition to collections featuring Indigenous-language text.

Kirkus Reviews

[A]n enchanting tale that invites readers to reflect on the power, purpose, and beauty of the lungs of our planet.

Hakai Magazine

The digitally rendered illustrations are visually stunning, enhancing the dreamlike mood of the book. … A reverent ode to the majestic beauty and greatness of trees and nature; an important reminder for humans to cherish nature’s marvels. This will be a welcome addition to elementary collections.

School Library Journal