Northern Lights: The Soccer Trails

by Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak, Vladyana Krykorka (Illustrator)

This story explores the Inuit belief that the Northern Lights are the souls of the dead, playing soccer in the sky.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Canada, Death, Cultural

24 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1993

About the author

Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak is a storyteller and a Canadian children's writer, who tells stories about Arctic and Inuit culture. He was born April 27, 1948 just north of Chesterfield Inlet, at a point of land we call Qatiktalik. That same spring of 1948 he and his family moved to Repulse Bay and in 1960 to Rankin Inlet


Inuktitut: ᐊᕐᕚᕐᓗᒃ ᑯᓱᒐᖅ

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inuit storyteller Michael Kusugak, and Czech-Canadian illustrator Vladyana Krykorka - an author/artist team that has also worked together on titles such as Baseball Bats for Christmas and My Arctic 1, 2, 3 - here join forces to tell the story of Kataujaq, a young Inuit girl (named after the rainbow) who loses her beloved mother to a sudden, unnamed illness. Quietly grieving over her loss for a number of years, she is eventually comforted by her grandmother's story of the Northern Lights - said, in Inuit tradition, to be the souls of departed loved ones - and their game of celestial soccer.

The winner of a Ruth Schwartz Award (subsequently renamed the Ruth & Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award) in the picture-book category, Northern Lights: The Soccer Trails combines a poignant tale of loss, and the comfort that tradition can bring, with lovely illustrations. I particularly liked the full-page portrait of Kataujag in her anorak, with the Northern Lights in the background! All in all, an engaging title, one I would recommend to young readers interested in the Northern Lights, or in Inuit Culture, as well as to children who have lost a parent, or other loved one.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sparked some great conversations with my 6-year old. What does Inuit mean? If they were here first, why is our language English? What makes the Northern Lights? Do you think the explanation of souls being in the Northern Lights is true, or just a pretty story? He was quite upset that the mom didn’t come home and no one explained to the little girl. This is a pretty deep book, but if you read it at the right time, it makes for great talks. The illustrations are beautiful.

[Elizabeth]

The bulk of the story is about the close relationship between Kataujaq and her mother. Eventually her mother gets sick and dies, which is where we bring in the Northern Lights, and the belief that they are the spirits of the dead playing soccer.

A long time ago, when Kataujaq was little, her mother said, "We called you Kataujaq because, when you were born, you were as pretty as a rainbow." She put her nose to Kataujaq's, sniffed and said "Mamaq," which means, "You smell so nice." You see, that is the way we kiss. Some people call it rubbing noses but it is really sniffing. And Kataujaq hugged her mother by her neck, pressed her nose on her face and said, "Mamaq!" Kataujaw just loved her mother.

[Mitchell Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a story yesterday to the grade 3s & 4s and had fun explaining to them the macabre imagery in it. The story we read "Northern Lights: the Soccer Trail". It's a nice book about a girl losing her mother and how she is still alive playing soccer in the northern lights. My Kokum taught me about the northern lights. That they are the spirits dancing up there. This book takes that sentiment and says the spirits are playing soccer, and they are kicking around a giant walrus head with huge tusks. The story goes that if you whistle, the lights will get close to you, and if they get too close you could get hit by the walrus head and have your head taken/ bonked off. So... I'm sitting there trying to explain this to the kids, that according to this story if you whistle at the lights you'll get your head taken off. Good wholesome reading. lol In my Cree culture we were taught that if you whistled, the spirits would come down and take you away. Having your head taken off by a walrus head being kicked around is an interesting spin on that folk tale. It's fun being a librarian

[Bear Wiseman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sad and sweet story with a lot of interesting things to learn about a culture that, even as a kid in Canada, we didn’t know much about. The illustrations are beautiful, though the story itself is perhaps not the most interesting for a child as there is little excitement; it is more educational than fun, which for me made it one I enjoyed but didn’t often return to. Ido know I always remembered that the Inuit sniffed, not nuzzled, because of this book, so at least it taught me one thing that stuck!

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inuit storytelling has been captured numerous times in stunning children’s picture books. I have personally read 10 of them this week from the library at the school I work at and each of them have had a strong and compelling voice. This book is also beautifully illustrated and has won some awards. The Inuit people should be proud of this collection of stories and I say thank you for sharing them with the world.

[Ashley Marx · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book "Northern Lights" The Soccer Trails. The illustrations were beautiful and provided the reader with an idea of what the Northern Lights truly looked like. One aspect of the story that I enjoyed was the relationship between the grandchild and the grandmother. Throughout the story, the grandmother says that when people pass away, they continue to play soccer in the Northern Lights. I found this aspect to be touching because it reminds the reader of their grandparents.

[Mia Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a strong story line. I enjoyed it, but for the age range I am looking to teach someday may not enjoy it. I enjoyed how the seasons changed within the story to follow the separate plots, it made me think more about the text. This did not have as many pictures as I had originally imagined.

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slightly sad story, but an interesting myth about the Northern Lights.

[Kaylee Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author: Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak
Illustrator: Vladyana Langer Krykorka
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0780745100

Summary: This book explores the Inuit belief that the northern lights represent the souls of the dead in the sky. It covers topics such as death and soccer. The stars represent the souls playing soccer in the sky.

[Carolynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Acclaimed Inuit storyteller Michael Kusugak tells the story of Kataujaq, a little Inuit girl who has lost her mother, to whom she was very close. She sadly remembers all the simple family things they once did together. Her grandparents relate the legend that in their culture, the Northern Lights (Aqsalijaat: the trail of those playing soccer) are physical manifestations of the beloved people who have died, and now pass their time on the other side playing soccer. Kusugak says: "My grandparents died when I was a little boy, my father died in 1973. It is a great consolation to go out on a clear moonlit night and watch them enjoying a game of soccer." The book is beautifully designed and illustrated by Czech artist Vladyana Krykorka, who used the author's two children as models for the paintings.

[Ms. D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Northern lights: The soccer trails explores the Inuit belief that the Aurora Borealis are actually the souls of the dead playing soccer. I liked this book’s illustrations. The cool tones and the movement in the images really set the scene. You get a good sense of life up North. The legend of the dead playing soccer in the sky and the descriptions of life in the North provide a glimpse into Inuit culture. The legend is really imaginative (for example, the legend says that the souls play soccer with a frozen walrus head!) and I can picture children finding it fascinating. A teacher could use this book as a vehicle for cross-curricular teaching; for example, it could be used as a complement to a science lesson on the habitat of the tundra. This book has some informative descriptions of what the seasons are like there and how people adapt to each time of year.

[Caitlin Barclay]

The author of this book is an Inuit storyteller so chances are this book has been told many more times than it is read. This book offers so many things to introduce to students: the Inuit culture is evident in the illustrations, the practice of traditions is shown, and there is even a lesson about the constellations! This book would be great for a unit on diversity or one on Inuit culture if a curriculum includes it. I would also share this book with any student that has lost a mother or someone very close to them since the main character struggles to find peace throughout the book. The book starts with the main character remembering things about her family life and thinking about how things have changed since then; this is a writing technique that students can use-writing about the past and the present.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Closeness of family, and loss and grieving are themes in this story. I thought it was interesting how the story line followed the seasons throughout the book – during the child’s happy memories of her mother, it was spring time, and when the mother died, it became fall and then winter as the daughter grieved for her mother. The word choice is comforting and the set up draws in the reader and creates attachment to the characters.

[Sadie Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite text heavy, so best for readers who are transitioning away from picture books. This story does a great job both of communicating a culture's beliefs and of providing a reassuring narrative for those who are experiencing loss.

[bryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book can be used to help children deal with the passing of a loved one.

[Tinika · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Aurora Borealis is a stunning night spectacle seen in northern regions. The people from these areas tell all kinds of amazing stories to explain the phenomena. The Inuit of Canada tell of a great soccer game being played by their ancestors and departed loved ones. They use a walrus skull for a ball and the entire sky is the playing field. In The Northern Lights: The Soccer Trails, a young girl mourning the loss of her mother finds comfort after her grandmother explains this tale to her. Now, when feeling lonely, she can go out at night and watch her mother playing with all the others and feel closer to her.

I used the book to introduce the northern lights to a grade one class but it could be used successfully with any lessons dealing with life in the north.