Product Description

Inuit author Michael Kusugak (A Promise is a Promise, Baseball Bats for Christmas) again demonstrates that he is a masterful writer. A mythological figure and traditional Inuit practices, set the backdrop for this dramatic story.

Allashua ignores the inuksugaq as she plays hide-and-seek. Soon she encouters an Ijiraq--a tiny half-bird, half-human creature who loves to play. Allashua remembers her mother telling her that if an Ijiraaq hides you, no one will ever find you again. Eventually Ijiraq disappears and Allashua gets lost on the tundra. With no idea of which way to go, she heads toward a small block dot on a far-off hill. When Allashua realizes the dot is the inuksugaq and that it can guide her safely home, she understands the riddle of its existence.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #971698 in Books
• Published on: 1992-03-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

About the Author

Michael Kusugak grew up in the Arctic Circle. His books have been teaching children about life in the north for almost 20 years. Michael lives in Rankin Inlet in northern Canada.

Vladyana Krykorka is the celebrated illustrator of more than 30 books for children. She is a lover of Inuit culture and has traveled to the Arctic many times. Born and raised in Prague, she now lives in Toronto.

Customer Reviews

Extraordinary!
Everything about this book is extraordinary; the story, the characters, the creatures, the elaborate illustrations, and the details about the environment without being teachy.

As a third grade teacher, I am always looking for stories from other cultures - having seen Michael Kusugak's name on a book by one of our favorite authors, Robert Munsch (A Promise is a promise), I looked for more of Michael's book.

What a treasure we found in Hide and Sneak. In the story, the children of the Arctic are told fables designed to protect them from the dangers of the surrounding environment. In Hide and Sneak they are warned of a tundra spirit, a Ijaraq, that will lead them into danger - perhaps death - by hiding them away never to be found again.

Of course one little girl does not heed the warning and the tail changes into a childhood thriller!

The actual reading of the story is a bit difficult do to the unfamiliarity of the names. The Native words are approached with caution when reading aloud to third graders. The story is completely comprehensible, do in large part to the beautifully detailed illustrations.

As a following activity to reading this book - my students created very miniature 'inuksugaqs'. They are beautiful little structures that might help us keep our homework from getting lost.