The Most Amazing Bird
Description
A young girl discovers nature鈥檚 surprising beauty in this tale from a renowned Inuit storyteller.
When Aggataa goes for a cold winter walk with her grandmother, she鈥檚 surprised by a sudden CRAH! All the birds have flown south for the winter except one kind鈥攖he tulugarguat, the ravens. They鈥檙e the ugliest birds that Aggaataa has ever seen. They look like they slept in their coats鈥攃oats that don鈥檛 even fit! However, as the winter slowly moves towards spring, Aggataa connects with one small raven in particular.
As the seasons change in full, the ravens leave and are replaced by seagulls, cranes, geese, ducks, and swans鈥攁ll of them far more elegant than the 鈥淯gly Bird.鈥� But where Aggataa once thought the ravens odd for visiting during the harshest part of the year, she now finds herself watching the horizon, waiting for the return of the most amazing bird.
This touching story by award-winning author Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak reminds us of our lasting connection to nature, while art by celebrated illustrator Andrew Qappik, CM, illuminates the enduring magic of the changing seasons.
Reviews
鈥淭he illustrations enrich the text and celebrate the heartwarming message that nature is a wonderful gift that we can connect to and relish.鈥�
- Storywraps, 07/08/20
鈥淪tunningly contemporary and amazingly timeless.鈥�
- Kirkus Reviews, *starred review, 09/15/20
鈥淪parse illustrations of arctic flora and fauna against the unforgiving snow and ice make this picture book immersive.鈥�
- Foreword Reviews, 11/20
鈥淩enowned Inuit storyteller Kusugak鈥檚 text is succinct yet lyrical . . . An engaging look at life in Canada鈥檚 North.鈥�
- Booklist, 11/01/20
鈥淭he language is simple and direct and, at times, beautiful in its description. The text is perfectly complemented by the drawings . . . That both author and illustrator are Indigenous people helps to achieve a particularly unified vision for The Most Amazing Bird. Highly Recommended.鈥�
- CM Reviews, 10/23/2020
鈥淭his beautiful tale provides gentle hints as to Inuk life in a sparsely poetic landscape. Delicate watercolors . . . complement the hushed storytelling.鈥�
- School Library Journal, 12/07/20
鈥淭his piece of creative non-fiction, with the touch of traditional Inuit storytelling, was entertaining and thought-provoking.鈥�
- Green Teacher, 10/21
鈥淭his piece of creative non-fiction, with the touch of traditional Inuit storytelling, was entertaining and thought-provoking.鈥�
- Green Teacher, 10/21