Inuit Folktales – serie

One of the most terrifying creatures to be found in traditional Inuit stories is the nanurluk, a massive bear the size of an iceberg that lives under the sea ice. Its monstrous size and ice-covered fur make it an almost impenetrable foe. But when a lone hunter spots the breathing hole of the nanurluk on the sea ice near his iglu, he uses his quick thinking and excellent hunting skills to hatch a plan to outsmart the deadly bear. Jose Angutinngurniq, a gifted storyteller and respected elder from Kugaaruk, Nunavut, brings to life a story of the great nanurluk that has been told in the Kugaaruk region for generations.

The Shadows that Rush Past introduces young readers to some of the creepiest, scariest stories from Inuit mythology. These tales, told by critically acclaimed writer Rachel Qitsualik, bring to life four creatures from Inuit mythology: the amautalik, akhla, nanurluk, and mahaha. These tales are filled with child-stealing ogresses; monsters that are half-man, half-grizzly bear; ice-covered polar bears ten times the size of normal bears; and a smiling creature that surprises unsuspecting campers and tickles them to death! Written in a playful, conversational, sometimes funny style, The Shadows that Rush Past will keep young readers anxious for the thrilling frights that might lurk on the next page.

In this faithful retelling of a traditional story from the Kugaaruk region, told by Elder Levi Illuitok, a father must save his infant child from an amajurjuk, an ogress known to steal children. When the ogress takes advantage of the child’s mother being blind to trick her into giving away her child, the child’s father embarks on a quest to save his infant from certain death.

In this traditional Inuit story, a simple walk on the tundra becomes a life or death journey for a young man. When he comes across a giant who wants to take him home and cook him for dinner, the young man's quick thinking saves him from being devoured by the giant and his family, and in the process releases the first fog into the world. Written by Cape Dorest elder Qaunaq Mikkigak and Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award-nominated author Joanne Schwartz, this action-packed picture book brings a centuries-old traditional tale to life for modern readers.