Wild Eggs: A Tale of Arctic Egg Collecting

by Suzie Napayok-Short, Jonathan Wright (Illustrator)

Akuluk is not excited about visiting her grandparents in Nunavut. She would rather head south for summer vacation, somewhere with roller coasters and cotton candy. There can't be much to do way up there, Akuluk figures. But as soon as she steps off the plane and sees all the exciting animals that the tundra has to offer, Akuluk forgets all about her dreams of going south. On her first full day in Nunavut, she can't wait to travel out on the land with her grandfather to hunt for wild eggs.

As she learns about the different types of eggs, how to collect them properly, and the delicious meals that can be prepared with them, Akuluk knows that this is just the beginning of the exciting things she'll learn about the Arctic.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Canada, Female Authors

36 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2015

Reviews

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a picture book for upper elementary ages as it is pretty wordy. It's the story of a young Inuktitut girl in Canada, who visits her grandparents in Nunavut, and helps her grandparents gather wild duck eggs. The illustrations are lovely, by a fellow who also lives in Nunavut.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wild Eggs is such a cute story for several reasons. It shows us the importance of spending time with our grandparents and the information they can pass down to us. It shows us how fun can happen in unexpected ways. It shows us the importance of traditions. And it shows us a small example of how people can live off the land in the Tundra of Nunavut.

I read a lot of books from Inhabit Media, and I love most of them, so I am not surprised to have enjoyed this so much. This is the second book I have read that was illustrated by Jonathan Wright, and his illustrations are as beautiful as ever. This is Suzie Napayok-Short's only book so far, but I hope to see more from her after reading this gem.

I definitely recommend this one. It is suitable in content for all ages, but due to lengthier text, if a child is going to read it alone they should have strong reading skills.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I have mixed feelings about the book. I was expecting to learn a bit more about the Inuit people and their lives. My son is studying the 50 states so we picked up Wild Eggs at the library to go along with Alaska and our study of the Inuit.

The story was very well written. Even though there was a lot of text on each page, I felt like the story moved quickly as a read aloud. I wish I had looked at the pronunciation guide at the end of the story before I started reading but I do appreciate the inclusion of so many words in the Inuktitut language.

[Elizabeth S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful look into the Inuit culture. The reader follows a girl as she meets her grandparents and learns their way of life.

For these kinds of stories, I always wish the pronunciation guide was at the beginning.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A beautifully illustrated story about going egg hunting in Nunavut. This book explores experiences unique to Nunavut and the Inuit people, and it's a powerful story about a girl discovering her family's culture including respecting elders, a gentle reminder for us all.

[Mary-Esther Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely illustrations.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for this book about traditions in the Arctic

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Inhabit Media title with intergenerational characters sharing time and knowledge with each other. I adore these books so!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nunavut cannot possibly have much to offer to Akuluk who dutifully travels from her home in Yellowknife to visit her grandparents. Upon arrival, she quickly realizes that things are very different in the rural area and there is much for her to learn. From riding in a taxi that has to veer to avoid Arctic hares to trying new foods and then to venturing into the great outdoors with her grandfather, the young girl realizes that the area has much to offer. She even learns how to tell the difference between duck eggs and geese eggs and to love the secrets and beauty the tundra has to offer. The lovely illustrations and quiet story provide a gentle introduction to the Inuktitut culture and a way of life that is threatened by modern intrusion. It is encouraging to have a book that shows one girl returning to her family's roots.

[Debby Baumgartner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Akuluk goes egg hunting with her Inuktitut grandparents.

[Elizabeth]

Akuluk and her stuffed polar Piulua and her mother travel north to visit her grandparents.

I liked that Akuluk got to be from Yellowknife (in the Northwest Territories -- since often a Canadian EveryPerson is from e.g. Toronto), though that made it a little weird that the city in Nunavut they're going to isn't named, they're just going to Nunavut (which is the name of an entire territory and has at least 15 cities you can fly into -- though it's implied that it's a nonstop flight, which might have to be Cambridge Bay, Kugluktuk, or Rankin Inlet #YesIGoogled).

Akuluk wishes they could have gone to Montreal instead, and the narrative offers a nice entry point for other contemporary kids who may also think there isn't much interesting up North.

I don't love the dark watercolor illustrations (though they grew on me), and at times the narrative veers a little into being more info-dumping than story-telling, but overall it's nice.