Review - Nattiq and the Land of Statues

Nattiq and the Land of Statues: A Story from the Arctic
by Barbara Landry
illustrated by Martha Kyak
Date: 2020
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 24
Format: e-book
Source: library

A ringed seal, known in Inuktitut as ᓇᑦᑎᖅ nattiq, has returned to his Arctic home after a long journey south. His friends — a polar bear, caribou, raven, walrus and narwhal — gather round to hear about his trip.

“What did you see beyond our land?” shouts the polar bear.

ᓇᑦᑎᖅ nattiq describes the amazing sights he has seen — from crystal clear waters full of giant icebergs to the tundra in full summertime bloom to strange, tall statues, far to the south. The statues swayed in the autumn breeze, howled when winter storms set in and opened their arms to nesting birds in the spring.

“They can never come and visit us,” ᓇᑦᑎᖅ nattiq explains to his friends, and so he plans to return south every year to tell them stories from the Arctic.

Inspired by her travels, Barbara Landry has written an imaginative story about discovery and friendship. Martha Kyak brings her familiarity with the North to the stunning illustrations. Includes a glossary of Inuktitut words.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I wasn't sure I liked this on the first reading, but I can see it growing on me with subsequent exposures. The issue, I think, is the Inuktitut words that are inserted in the text. There is a glossary at the back, but I didn't realize that until after I'd finished. With the glossary in hand, the text will be much clearer.

nattiq, a ringed seal, tells his animal friends about the "statues" he encountered after he ventured south. The animals listen with interest as nattiq describes these "statues" (which the reader can clearly see are actually trees; the seal's interpretation is interesting). The illustrations are done in a style that's... well, it looks almost like digital overpainting, which I'm not a fan of (unless it's done exceptionally well... and it's not here). Still, the pictures do their job in conveying a sense of place to the reader, and the landscapes are rendered in a way that's not entirely unpleasant to look at.

I like finding picture books that incorporate other languages, and it's especially nice to come across ones with Indigenous languages. I don't think I've read any books with Inuktitut words before.

Overall, this is a decent story that will probably be enjoyed more on a second or third reading, especially after the reader has perused the glossary.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.33 out of 5