My Arctic 1,2,3

by Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak, Vladyana Krykora (Illustrator)

Whether you’re a returning guest or a first-time visitor, enter My Arctic 1, 2, 3 and explore Michael Kusugak’s world of animals and adventure in the Arctic Circle. On each two-page spread, discover counting and creatures, and learn who’s predator and who’s prey. Witness five Arctic foxes hunting six furry siksiks. Then watch seven fishermen catch eight Arctic char. Numbers explored include 1 to 10, 20, 100 and even 1,000,000 (millions of berries ripen in the fall). Each scene, rendered in Vladyana Krykorka’s breathtaking paintings, is awash in Arctic colors and includes the depicted number in English and Inuktitut. For those wanting more Inuit info, a special end section by Arctic-native Kusugak recounts his experiences living in the north along side the animals featured in the book. With Arctic animals and number fun, it’s no surprise My Arctic 1, 2, 3 has become a book for families to share, cherish, and count on.

Genres: Picture Books, Counting, Animals, Childrens, Nonfiction, Number, Nature

24 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1996

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

[Lin Lin]

Young readers can practice counting as they start an adventure in the Arctic Canada to watch for polar bears, ringed-seals, killer whales, bowhead whales, Arctic foxes, siksiks/Arctic ground squirrels, Arctic char (fish), snowy owls, lemmings, wolves, and caribou.

[Ubalstecha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little counting book based around arctic animals and Inuit culture.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book of numbers includes Northern animals, both prey and preyed on animals. The text is simple and includes interesting information about the animals. Gorgeous illustrations.

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved all the extra details in the author’s note. The girls enjoyed the animal rhymes.

[Kandace · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mutually respectful relationship between man and nature is beautifully illustrated in the counting book, Arctic 1,2,3. Author Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak shares his Arctic heritage with colorful images, symbols, and language. His environmental connections are further envisioned in small vignettes following the story. This book is dual fold. Children learn to count while learning about the Arctic culture and their special bond with nature.

[Brielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a rhyming and counting book with animals. The animals talk about what they hunt and their prey.

[Daniel Cipriano · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was confusing. I did not like this book.

[Children's Department · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arctic Counting Book - Inuit

[Elizabeth]

In the prefatory material, the Inuit author orients the reader to his context and says:

We do not hunt animals all the time. Mostly, we watch them. We look at their tracks. We see how their coats change with the seasons. We watch what they hunt for food. We see how they hunt.

In this book I will show you some of the animals we have watched and the other animals that they hunt. Watching animals is fun.

The book thus introduces readers to Arctic animals and culture, while also helping with basic counting.

Each page also has the number written in (I assume) Inuktitut.

The back matter goes into more depth about "The Arctic World of Michael Kusugak and His Family."