The Seasons and Someone

Ages 5-8. A young girl (she refers to herself as "Someone" out of respect for the Eskimo custom of not speaking one's own name aloud) observes the seasonal changes around her in this elegant picture book. As winter approaches, she enjoys the last of summer's berries, the musk oxen grow thick coats, and the sun disappears. She stays busy during the cold months, safe inside her family's warm igloo, but with spring's return she ventures out to look for new blossoms. Summer brings long days and enormous vegetables, a new fishing season, and delicious ripe berries. She looks forward to many new seasons and gives thanks for the beautiful land. Kroll's sparse yet poetic text conveys a great deal of information about traditional Eskimo life as well as a sense of cultural values. Kiuchi's lush oil paintings portray the vastness of the Arctic landscape and are best viewed from the distance that story hours provide. An excellent introduction to units on Eskimos; pair with Murphy's A Child's Alaska, also reviewed in this issue. Kay Weisman

PreSchool-Grade 3?Through the eyes of a young Eskimo girl, this simple, poetic text, full of metaphors and similes, captures the sights and sounds of the seasonal changes in the Arctic. Kroll uses a question-and-answer format to present information about the land, vegetation, animals, and traditional and cultural activities of an Eskimo family from the time the field turns gold to brown to sparkling white to the time the gulls gather on the cliffs. The richly colored yet softly muted oil paintings capture the flow and meaning of every word. The outstanding illustrations and lilting text succeed in creating the feel of the Arctic environment and the warmth and importance of family life inside the home. Libraries will want to add this jewel to their Alaska and Eskimo culture collections.?Roz Goodman, Bering Strait School District Media Center, Unalakleet, AK
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