The Spirit of the Sea by R. Hainnu
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20361/G2KP4BAbstract
Hainnu, Rebecca. The Spirit of the Sea. Illus. Hwei Lim. Iqualuit, NU: Inhabit Media, Inc., 2014. Print.
This volume is another of Inhabit Media’s fine productions of Inuit legends. It tells an old story, which exists in many variations. This version comes from Rebecca Hainnu, who lives in Clyde River, Nunavut. While Hainnu’s previous works have been non-fiction including children’s books on mathematics and tundra plants, she does a fine job of storytelling, as well.
Arnaq is a beautiful young woman who is tricked into marrying a fulmar (a kind of bird) when he appears in human form. When her father tries to rescue her, he ends up sacrificing her to the fulmars to save his own life. She sinks to the bottom and becomes the Spirit of the Sea. As Nuliajuq, she controls the sea animals and hunters must appease her to have good hunting and calm seas.
Throughout the volume, text appears on one page and an image on the facing page. The text, which is appropriate for upper elementary readers and above, is meant to be read aloud and generally has the sound of a traditional storyteller’s voice. However, there are occasional modern phrases that are incongruous and break the flow. “Eventually, Arnaq succumbed to complete depression”. The text contains some Inuktitut words, which are italicized and listed in the pronunciation guide at the end of the volume.
The watercolours by Hwei Lim are beautiful and ethereal. The colours are mainly blues and browns, reflecting the marine environment. The underwater image of Arnaq looking up at the bottom of a boat is particularly effective.
The Spirit of the Sea is highly recommended for elementary school libraries, public libraries and libraries specializing in Canadian Indigenous materials.
Highly Recommended: 4 stars out of 4
Reviewer: Sandy Campbell
Sandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines. Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).