The Muskox and the Caribou

by Nadia Mike, Tamara Campeau (Illustrator)

Baby Muskox is all alone on the tundra, lost and very worried. When Mother Caribou and Baby Caribou find him, they bring him back to their herd. But even though Baby Muskox finds comfort with Mother Caribou, he knows he’s a little bit different from the rest of the herd.

As Baby Muskox and Baby Caribou grow older, the differences between them grow, too. Baby Muskox feels alone and left out in the herd. But one day, during a walk on the tundra with Mother Caribou, Baby Muskox finally figures out where he belongs.

Genres: Picture Books

30 pages, Hardcover

First published February 12, 2018

Reviews

[Abigail]

When the lost Baby Muskox comes upon a herd of caribou on the tundra one day, the kindhearted Mother Caribou takes him in, caring for him and providing much love. Unfortunately, Baby Caribou and his playmates never really accept Baby Muskox, and the little creature grows up keenly conscious of his differences. Only the love of Mother Caribou makes life bearable. Then one day his adoptive mother leads him to another part of the tundra, showing him a herd of creatures who look just like him, and Muskox (a baby no more) understands who he is and where he belongs...

Published by Inhabit Media, a Nunavut-based press specializing in Inuit-themed titles, The Muskox and the Caribou is an interesting example of the cross-cultural / cross-species adoption tale, so common in the pages of children's literature. Unlike so many other tales of this nature, here the adoptive group never totally accepts Muskox, and he returns to his own kind. The bullying and social exclusion practiced by Baby Caribou and his fellows is never specifically addressed as being problematic - in fact, Muskox indicates that he understands it, toward the end of the tale. This is more reminiscent of Hans Christian Andersen's The Ugly Duckling than such recent titles as Not Quite Narwhal (in which a unicorn gets to enjoy both his adoptive and natural-both communities), and seems to indicate a more naturalistic view of the world, in which like stays with like, species with species. While this is undoubtedly realistic, it did give author Nadia Mike's story a bittersweet quality that I wasn't expecting. The artwork from illustrator Tamara Campeau was adorable - all soft colors and cute animals - and overall I enjoyed the book, although I would use it more as a naturalistic animal story, than as a teaching tale about difference and social inclusion.

[Jesse]

The star is for the illustrations, which are soft and sweet. I did NOT like the story, the point of which seemed to be that you should accept the bullying you receive because you're "different". HARD PASS.

[Barbara]

Somehow Baby Muskox is separated from the rest of his herd, but Mother Caribou takes him in and raises him alongside her own Baby Caribou. Although Baby Muskox endures plenty of teasing from the other animals, especially Baby Caribou, because of his appearances and his short legs, he still feels safer being with the herd and appreciates the love shown to him by Mother Caribou. Still, he is confused about the other young animals' refusal to accept him. time passes, and both animals grow into strong adults. Because he is now strong and ready to be on his own, Mother Caribou shows her adopted child a herd of muskoxen, others of his species than he can now join. This tenderly-told story is accompanied by lovely illustrations that seem to capture the essence of life in the Arctic. It was interesting to note the compassion and patience of Mother Caribou and how poor Baby Muskox didn't see himself as different from the young caribou in any way.

[Barbra]

When Mother Caribou and her baby come across a lost baby Muskox they bring him into the herd as if he were their own. Being different Muskox never felt quite wanted. Once the herd matured he really stood out and decided it was time to find his own kind. This story of friendship, kindness and acceptance is filled with wonderful illustrations of these great Northern creatures.

[Edward Sullivan]

Baby Muskox is alone on the tundra, separated and from his herd, when he is taken by caribou until he grows up and finds where he belongs.

[Heather]

Beautifully illustrated, but I didn't care for the story.

[Readersaurus]

Tamara Campeau’s illustrations beautifully evoke the Arctic habitat in which the caribou and musk oxen live. The herds are shown grazing for berries and lichen on the tundra. The young animals are big-eyed and beautiful.

At its core, this is a version of The Ugly Duckling. Mother Caribou discovers a baby musk ox that has become separated from its herd and takes it in to raise with her own caribou baby. This is not a warm-hearted story of a loving adopted family: as with the Andersen fairy tale, the young caribou never take to the musk ox, and, if not for the kindness and caring of Mother Caribou, the musk ox’s life would be dismal, indeed. Resolution comes when the musk ox is nearly grown and his caribou herd crosses paths with a musk ox herd.

The illustration on the front cover might lead one to think that this is a lovely tale of friendship. It is not. The young caribou are quite mean.

This would be a welcome addition to any class studying Canadian wildlife or ecosystems, or for story times featuring variations on classic fairy tales. It could also spark conversations on how we might welcome strangers into our communities.