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Whale Snow
Amiqqaq is excited when his family catches a bowhead whale. As his family prepares to celebrate the traditional Iñupiaq whaling feast, Amiqqaq learns about the spirit-of-the-whale.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
1 person is currently reading
123 people want to read
About the author
Debby Dahl Edwardson
5 books31 followersMy name is Debby and I am a writer. I write stories for young people.
If you haven't seen me, it's because I live far far away and do, indeed, write from the top of the world: Barrow, Alaska, to be exact, the northernmost community on the North American Continent.
I've lived here pretty much all of my adult life—thirty years (don’t do the math!) and this place and its people have shaped who I am as a writer. My husband is Inupiaq (Eskimo) and most of the stories I write are set within this cultural context. It is not the culture I was born into but it is the one I belong to, the one that has become home to me as a human being and as an artist.
As we all do, I write what I know, and through knowing it in my own way, make it my own, something both very old and very new at the same time. Like many other writers, I straddle the distinct and sometimes divergent traditions that make me who I am.
Why do I write? I write to make sense of the world. I write to communicate, in the best way I can, my own unique vision. Everybody has a vision that is theirs alone. Mine has been molded by living with the Iñupiat, the Real People of the Arctic, from whom I have learned much and am still learning. Theirs is a spirit as strong and beautiful as the Arctic itself and, as a writer, I seek always to share this spirit with my readers.
If you haven't seen me, it's because I live far far away and do, indeed, write from the top of the world: Barrow, Alaska, to be exact, the northernmost community on the North American Continent.
I've lived here pretty much all of my adult life—thirty years (don’t do the math!) and this place and its people have shaped who I am as a writer. My husband is Inupiaq (Eskimo) and most of the stories I write are set within this cultural context. It is not the culture I was born into but it is the one I belong to, the one that has become home to me as a human being and as an artist.
As we all do, I write what I know, and through knowing it in my own way, make it my own, something both very old and very new at the same time. Like many other writers, I straddle the distinct and sometimes divergent traditions that make me who I am.
Why do I write? I write to make sense of the world. I write to communicate, in the best way I can, my own unique vision. Everybody has a vision that is theirs alone. Mine has been molded by living with the Iñupiat, the Real People of the Arctic, from whom I have learned much and am still learning. Theirs is a spirit as strong and beautiful as the Arctic itself and, as a writer, I seek always to share this spirit with my readers.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
January 14, 2022
A young Iñupiaq boy anxiously awaits his father's return from a whaling trip, gazing out at the fat flakes his Aaka (grandmother) calls "whale snow" - the snow that "comes when a whale has given itself to the People." Joining in the communal celebration that follows - the hugging and crying, gathering and feasting - Amiqqaq discovers aġvaktuni quiviasuun, the "whale happiness" that comes from the spirit-of-the-whale's sacrifice. But where, Amiqqaq asks his Aapa (grandfather), does the spirit-of-the-whale go after the feast...?
A lovely picture-book, which combines a warm family tale with luminous watercolor illustrations, Whale Snow offers a sensitive, and culturally accurate, portrait of the Iñupiat people's physical and spiritual relationship with the bowhead whale. A glossary of Iñupiaq terms, and a brief afterword, provide additional information for the young reader.
As someone who supports the subsistence hunting and fishing rights of the indigenous peoples of North America, but who also has some serious problems with whaling, I am grateful to Debby Dahl Edwardson for this book, which really clarifies the central role of the bowhead whale in Iñupiat culture. Although not Iñupiaq herself, Edwardson raised seven half-Iñupiaq children in Barrow, Alaska, and really seems to understand her subject. Annie Patterson, also a resident of Barrow, captures the serene coldness of the Arctic landscape, as well as the warmth of its people, in her gorgeous art. All in all, a beautiful and enlightening book - one I would imagine would be particularly useful for teachers and librarians doing units on the indigenous peoples of the far north.
A lovely picture-book, which combines a warm family tale with luminous watercolor illustrations, Whale Snow offers a sensitive, and culturally accurate, portrait of the Iñupiat people's physical and spiritual relationship with the bowhead whale. A glossary of Iñupiaq terms, and a brief afterword, provide additional information for the young reader.
As someone who supports the subsistence hunting and fishing rights of the indigenous peoples of North America, but who also has some serious problems with whaling, I am grateful to Debby Dahl Edwardson for this book, which really clarifies the central role of the bowhead whale in Iñupiat culture. Although not Iñupiaq herself, Edwardson raised seven half-Iñupiaq children in Barrow, Alaska, and really seems to understand her subject. Annie Patterson, also a resident of Barrow, captures the serene coldness of the Arctic landscape, as well as the warmth of its people, in her gorgeous art. All in all, a beautiful and enlightening book - one I would imagine would be particularly useful for teachers and librarians doing units on the indigenous peoples of the far north.
July 14, 2010
I discovered this book at a cozy local bookstore in Juneau, Alaska. I was seeking books to take home, sweet treasures from our vacation, and this one captivated me immediately with its lovely and heartfelt illustrations and warm, pitch-perfect text.
And, yet, I couldn't bring myself to buy it. For it is the story, told through a young boy's eyes, of the whale hunt for an Inupiaq village. No matter my respect for their culture, my appreciation that they are no longer restricted to follow their traditional whale hunt, I couldn't overcome my vegetarian sensibilities. I couldn't buy a book where people celebrate around the dead body of a whale. Whales, gosh, how I love them! I just couldn't buy it...
Then, we went to the Alaskan Native Cultural Center in Anchorage and listened to a native woman speak of her village's experiences with the whale hunt. I was brought to tears--not because of the death of the whale, but because of the spirit of the people, the conveyance of life and goodness the whale gave to the people, the remarkable celebration surrounding the success of a whale hunt. The nearest I can come to it for Western Christian culture would be the celebration of Easter, or the feeling one gets on Christmas morning. The gift of something beyond oneself that makes the recipient and his/her world a better place. The woman spoke of how the wives of the whale hunters must lie very still while their husbands are on the hunt--they must be ready to take on the pain of the whale when it is killed. This is out of respect for the whale. The people give thanks to the spirit of the whale, and believe that he has chosen to give himself to them as a gift. A gift of not only physical but spiritual sustenance.
After I heard her speak, I wanted a copy of "Whale Snow" I saw it in an entirely different light. Part of me will always be uncomfortable with the idea of killing and eating animals when our modern society provides means of surviving and thriving without it. But that's just me. In my own way, I am more appreciative of the native way of taking animals, understanding the "gift" the animal is giving and being respectful and grateful and trying to minimize the animal's suffering, than I am of the Western/American industrialized way of consuming animals. This book celebrates the gift of the whale in an absolutely beautiful way. And, although I could not find another copy in Alaska, and the copy that resides on my bookshelf was purchased from Amazon, it is no less imbued with the spirit of the Inupiaq, and of the whale.
And, yet, I couldn't bring myself to buy it. For it is the story, told through a young boy's eyes, of the whale hunt for an Inupiaq village. No matter my respect for their culture, my appreciation that they are no longer restricted to follow their traditional whale hunt, I couldn't overcome my vegetarian sensibilities. I couldn't buy a book where people celebrate around the dead body of a whale. Whales, gosh, how I love them! I just couldn't buy it...
Then, we went to the Alaskan Native Cultural Center in Anchorage and listened to a native woman speak of her village's experiences with the whale hunt. I was brought to tears--not because of the death of the whale, but because of the spirit of the people, the conveyance of life and goodness the whale gave to the people, the remarkable celebration surrounding the success of a whale hunt. The nearest I can come to it for Western Christian culture would be the celebration of Easter, or the feeling one gets on Christmas morning. The gift of something beyond oneself that makes the recipient and his/her world a better place. The woman spoke of how the wives of the whale hunters must lie very still while their husbands are on the hunt--they must be ready to take on the pain of the whale when it is killed. This is out of respect for the whale. The people give thanks to the spirit of the whale, and believe that he has chosen to give himself to them as a gift. A gift of not only physical but spiritual sustenance.
After I heard her speak, I wanted a copy of "Whale Snow" I saw it in an entirely different light. Part of me will always be uncomfortable with the idea of killing and eating animals when our modern society provides means of surviving and thriving without it. But that's just me. In my own way, I am more appreciative of the native way of taking animals, understanding the "gift" the animal is giving and being respectful and grateful and trying to minimize the animal's suffering, than I am of the Western/American industrialized way of consuming animals. This book celebrates the gift of the whale in an absolutely beautiful way. And, although I could not find another copy in Alaska, and the copy that resides on my bookshelf was purchased from Amazon, it is no less imbued with the spirit of the Inupiaq, and of the whale.
June 17, 2017
This book was in the NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People list. It is about a boy, Amiqqaq, who lives in the Arctic with his family. His father is a whale hunter, and today they got a whale. The boy asks to go with his father to see the whale. They used the whale to feed the village. When the whale comes, they talked about how you can feel it in the wind, the snow, and you can feel whale happiness. This book beautifully tells and illustrates the story of Inupiat people. This is a culture that many don't know about and this fictional story teaches us its traditions and language. The back of the book also has more information about the Inupiat people and their bond with the bowhead whale. I think this book would be a great book to teach about this culture that is foreign to our students. I think I would have students do research on this particular culture and do a presentation on it. I would recommend this book for early to mid elementary school students.
October 25, 2011
2003 picture book from the 2011 National Book Award nominee, Debby Dahl Edwardson (My Name is Not Easy). In this book, a young boy awaits the return of his whaling captain father and learns the meaning of community and the heart and spirit of a whale in the process.
A glossary of Inupaiq language as well as a brief comment on how the language has/had been discouraged in the 1800's by whalers moving north. The Inupaiq language has survived because the people have kept it--and their traditions alive through their story telling from generation to generation.
A lovely, lovely book to open up conversations about a little understood state (one I have not been to) and the people that call that state home. We are blessed to have a writer like Debby who lives, writes, and loves this area and shares her gift with us.
A glossary of Inupaiq language as well as a brief comment on how the language has/had been discouraged in the 1800's by whalers moving north. The Inupaiq language has survived because the people have kept it--and their traditions alive through their story telling from generation to generation.
A lovely, lovely book to open up conversations about a little understood state (one I have not been to) and the people that call that state home. We are blessed to have a writer like Debby who lives, writes, and loves this area and shares her gift with us.
January 11, 2015
I love books about Alaska and the culture of the Native Alaskans and this book didn't disappoint. Before the story started there was a section about the Inupiaq Language, its battles in history, as well as some words to know. Continuing on that historical path, after the story there is a section about the Bowhead and Inupiat partnership, and how that relationship was threatened in 1977 by the International Whaling Commission who didn't understand. The story itself, demonstrates that partnership through the eyes of a boy, his family and the surrounding community.
October 18, 2013
Interesting look/story about the bowhead whale in the Inupait culture of Artic Alaska. Story shows a warm connection of the generations as well as village people with each other. I appreciated the page of cultural info describing the relationship of the Inupait with the whale--a spiritual relationship as well as that of food. Also how they had at one time used all parts of the whale for survival.
March 27, 2015
This books was a good book I enjoyed reading it, but some of the words, like the names of the people in the story were hard to pronounce. The pictures in the book were so pretty and it just made me keep picturing winter and how pretty the snow is, so I enjoyed looking at the pictures. I would read this book to my students in my class and then together I would go through some of the words that they wouldn't know off the top of their head.
December 28, 2011
I love Annie Patterson's whimsical illustrations in this book. They add a level of understanding to this story that may seem foreign and distant to people not familiar with the culture of the Inupiat. This is a wonderful pairing that shares the significance of the bowhead whale to the people of the North Slope with an outside audience.
October 1, 2017
This was a great book! It was eye opening for my children in that they got to see how other people lived and learn about how some people eat whales as a way of life. They had never heard of anyone eating a whale before, so it was very interesting to them. The also enjoyed trying to learn words from the Inupiaq language. Would recommend to anyone wanting a glimpse of current Eskimo culture.
October 14, 2017
Whale Snow is a beautifully illustrated story that teaches us about the Inupiat people. It is about a young boy named Amiqqaq who lives in the Arctic. When his father gets a whale to find his village Amiqqaq learns how you can feel the whale in the wind, the snow and how you can feel the whale happiness. This book is a great book to teach students about culture.
March 30, 2015
The illustrations in this book were amazing and very fun to look at. I loved all the colors used for the Alaskan feel. It was interesting learning about how it is in Alaska, however some names were hard to pronounce.
January 21, 2012
The note at the end about the partnership between bowhead whale and the Inupiat was very interesting.
February 13, 2013
Interesting. . . make sure you read the notes in the back regarding the realtionship between the Inupiat and the Bowhead Whale.
August 9, 2016
I respect the culture and I respect this book, but I do not believe in or celebrate the killing of a whale. A majestic creature that does not harm us, rather we harm them.
March 20, 2021
Both mystical and realistic, Whale Snow is a beautiful blend of ancient traditions and modern adaptations. Though technically historical, this account of an Inupiat village’s whale hunt does not feel too distant as they set out in their skidoos from a warm kitchen full of frying donuts. A note about the Inupiaq language and a quick list of “words to know” at the beginning of the text alert the reader that they will be expected to keep up with some things that are foreign to them. Though some words, such as “grandmother” are introduced, other words are simply woven into the narrative. The reader must infer (or check the word list) to know that “Aarigaa!” is an expression of celebration and gladness. That narrative does not stop to explain it. This kind of trust in the reader’s capacity sets this story apart and makes it feel more engaging and authentic.
The simple watercolor illustrations are warm and familiar to picturebook audiences, though they still leave room for high symbolism (such as the spirit of the whale on the final opening that blends in with the palette). Most of the pages separate the illustration on one side of the gutter with the text on the other against white space. This keeps the illustrations from overwhelming the story and also lends scope to the few double page spreads depicting journeys and large gatherings. The descriptive pattern repeated in terms like “whale snow,” “whale wind,” and “whale happiness” highlight the subtle mysticism and spirituality ascribed to the whale without being heavy-handed or dogmatic. There are no long lectures from leaders or elders to weigh down the action of the story. Instead, the spirituality of the book mirrors that of real life: an undercurrent and a breeze that permeates the perspective and worldview.
The simple watercolor illustrations are warm and familiar to picturebook audiences, though they still leave room for high symbolism (such as the spirit of the whale on the final opening that blends in with the palette). Most of the pages separate the illustration on one side of the gutter with the text on the other against white space. This keeps the illustrations from overwhelming the story and also lends scope to the few double page spreads depicting journeys and large gatherings. The descriptive pattern repeated in terms like “whale snow,” “whale wind,” and “whale happiness” highlight the subtle mysticism and spirituality ascribed to the whale without being heavy-handed or dogmatic. There are no long lectures from leaders or elders to weigh down the action of the story. Instead, the spirituality of the book mirrors that of real life: an undercurrent and a breeze that permeates the perspective and worldview.
August 27, 2021
This book is beautifully illustrated and looks to be as authentic a picture of Inupiat life as I've ever seen in a children's book. The author raised seven children in Barrow, Alaska and knows the life there well. However, the subject matter is probably why my own copy of the book was discarded by a school system library: it's about killing a whale. This, of course, is a very important part of the Inupiat culture, and that is addressed in an afterword. But for many of us, it's an intrinsically unpleasant subject. For me, not even the dreamy, spiritual way it is presented could not overcome the idea of a huge dead whale on the ice.
The story is about a little boy whose father comes in from whaling with good news: the men have killed a whale! The entire community comes together for a feast of whale meat and blubber, and the boy's family members explain that the whale "chose" to give up its life to the men only when they are worthy. The spirit of the whale lives on.
The story is about a little boy whose father comes in from whaling with good news: the men have killed a whale! The entire community comes together for a feast of whale meat and blubber, and the boy's family members explain that the whale "chose" to give up its life to the men only when they are worthy. The spirit of the whale lives on.
February 17, 2021
There is something so majestic about whales to me. I've never had the opportunity to see one in person, but hope that someday I will. So, this book did give me pause when I started reading it to my children and realized it was about whale hunting. But, as the story continued you realized how important this hunting activity is to this Inuit culture and how respected the animal is for the opportunity it provides for their sustenance and survival. So, in the end, I'm happy that this is one of the literature introductions we have to the northern reaches of the North American continent.
November 1, 2021
This book is in my Diversity: Ethnicity shelf. Whale Snow is about an Inupiat boy, Amiqqaq, and his tribes relationship to the hunting of the whale and its spirit. I believe the composition of this book couldn’t have been better, with its in depth description of what the Inupiat feel when they have a whale, it creates a real connection to the people. This book could definitely be used in the classroom to teach about the backgrounds of people, and even introducing students to different types of spirituality in the world!
April 28, 2024
What Song is a story about an Artic Native boy waiting for his father to return home from a whale hunt. The text uses words from the native language but nicely adds definitions and how to pronounce these words at the beginning inside of the cover. The illustrations are beautiful and just as heartfelt as the story. The story is about culture, tradition, and heritage. While I do not like the idea of killing whales, this is what this specific culture did as a way of life, and it is beneficial for children to see cultures that differ from their own.
November 3, 2023
This book was interesting to read, I've never read a book about Alaska or the culture of Alaskans. This isn't a book I would read all the time. You can tell it's cold by looking at the pictures in the book, even though it is cold there everyone seems to be happy and enjoying the weather. I liked the cultural information describing the relationship of the Inupait with the whale. This is s a great book for children to see how other people live in different countries.
December 12, 2025
I read this to a group of 2nd graders, and they were mildly interested. I think this would work better as a parent-child story, since there's moments when the boy is snuggled by his mother, or cheered by his father, giving the reader cues to snuggle the child listener. The story is quiet but offers an interesting window on to another culture.
February 5, 2021
This book was recommended by one of my environmental justice professors. While a children's story, it is still impactful to read as an adult. Just a much quicker read! It beautifully illustrates the relationship of the people and the whale.
January 26, 2023
So...this seemed like a good idea, but I should have done more research, as this involves a whale dying. Not ideal for M, and a few key details were glossed over. Probably much better for an older kid who can understand more abstract concepts.
November 5, 2018
This book describing the relationship of the Iñupiaq with the whale, a spiritual relationship as well as that of food.
November 15, 2019
Beautiful!
November 2, 2020
One snowy night after a whale has been caught, a young Iñupiaq boy named Amiqqaq learns of his culture’s spiritual connection with whales.
December 17, 2023
I love exploring other cultures with my girls. We received this as a gift from my friend who lives in the most northern part of Alaska, and in a way this book helped us feel closer to her.
March 7, 2016
A very difficult book to read aloud as I am not good at pronouncing Inuit words. It's the story of a family in a Inuit village that kills a whale. Lots of talking about spirit-of-the-whale and what that means to the people.
Nice illustrations.
Nice illustrations.
April 10, 2016
An Inupiaq (Eskimo) boy learns about his community's whaling traditions.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews