Arctic Thaw: The People of the Whale in a Changing Climate

by Peter Lourie

Scientists no longer debate whether the global climate is changing. Earth's atmosphere is warming up, and temperatures are rising twice as fast in the Arctic as the global average. How will climbing temperatures affect the ancient culture of the Inupiat people of Alaska's North Slope? Their culture revolves around the tradition of hunting bowhead whales from a platform of ice on the water. The hunt is the great cooperative endeavor that brings the community together to work, store food for lean times, tell stories, dance, and give new life to old traditions. Now the permafrost is thawing, and increasing dangers await whale hunters as the sea ice becomes fragile. Are these effects due to global warming, or is this a case of local weather foreshadowing a grim future for the Inupiat? In this Society of School Librarians International Honor Book, Peter Lourie accompanies climate scientists to the North Slope. He observes Inupiat life. He learns from experts about global climate change. And he comes away with an understanding we will all need in order to tackle the challenge of global warming—the Inupiat way of sharing and consideration for others.

1 pages, Audio CD

First published March 1, 2007

About the author

Peter is an award-winning author, professor, and explorer. He has written over two dozen nonfiction books for children and adults spanning topics from adventure and the environment to polar bears and lost treasure.

His forthcoming book, Locked in Ice: Nansen's Daring Quest for the North Pole is a spellbinding biography of Fridtjof Nansen, the pioneer of polar exploration, with a spotlight on his harrowing three-year journey to the top of the world.

A true adventurer, Lourie has traveled all over the world to research his subjects, from the cloud forest in Ecuador in search of Inca treasure, to Lake Turkana in northwestern Kenya on the Ethiopian border, to Terra del Fuego and the jungles of Rondonia, Brazil.

Reviews

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting ... maybe a three and a half. I keep going back and fourth.

The photography was solid. The story flow was solid. There were different characters (the grad students studying different effects as well as scientists and Inuit people) that added dimension to the story.

And I guess I should be fair. The title does say PEOPLE of the whale. I just would have liked more information about the whales themselves! So maybe it's not fair to rate on the lower end?

Interesting reading this the day after I read Writing to Explore: Discovering Adventure in the Research Paper, 3-8. Teacher and author worked together on that one and after reading his original work I can definitely see the influence in the way the teacher taught and the students responded. Still would love to try that activity!