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In My Anaana's Amautik

read by Nadia Sammurtok & Roselynn Akulukjuk

illustrated by Lenny Lishchenko

Publisher
Inhabit Media
Initial publish date
May 2021
Subjects
Bedtime & Dreams, Native Canadian, Stories in Verse, Polar Regions

Library Ordering Options

Description

"The far north has never felt so deliciously warm." Kirkus Reviews
"Readers will carry this gorgeous book close to their hearts."School Library Journal
"Just right for bedtime, it's an intimate tale that celebrates simple warmth and comfort."Publishers Weekly
Nadia Sammurtok lovingly invites the reader into the amautik—the pouch in the back of a mother’s parka used to carry a child—to experience everything through the eyes of the baby nestled inside, from the cloudlike softness of the pouch to the glistening sound of Anaana’s laughter. Sweet and soothing, this book offers a unique perspective that will charm readers of all ages.

About the authors

Nadia Sammurtok is an Inuit writer and educator originally from Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. Nadia is passionate about preserving the traditional Inuit lifestyle and Inuktitut language so that they may be enjoyed by future generations. Nadia currently lives in Iqaluit, Nunavut, with her family.

 

Nadia Sammurtok's profile page

Lenny Lishchenko is not a boy. She is an illustrator, graphic designer, and comic maker, who will never give up the chance to draw a good birch tree. Ukrainianborn and Canadian raised, she’s interested in telling stories that people remember years later, in the early mornings where everything is quiet and still. She’s worked with clients such as Lenny Letter, Power Athletics Ltd. Alberta Venture, and Rubicon Publishing, and is based out of Mississauga, Ontario.

 

Lenny Lishchenko's profile page

Roselynn Akulukjuk est née à Pangnirtung, au Nunavut, dans l’Arctique canadien. En 2012, Roselynn s’est installée à Toronto pour lancer sa carrière dans le cinéma. Étudiante à la Toronto Film School, elle s’est passionnée pour le travail qui se fait derrière la caméra. Après avoir terminé ses études et travaillé à Toronto, Roselynn est retournée au Nunavut, où elle a commencé à collaborer avec Taqqut Productions, une société de production télévisuelle et cinématographique appartenant à des Inuits basée à Iqaluit, la capitale du Nunavut. Un des aspects qu’elle aime le plus dans son métier de cinéaste, c’est de pouvoir passer des entrevues avec des aînés, écouter leurs récits traditionnels et les partager avec le reste du monde. En 2015, Roselynn a écrit et réalisé son premier film, le court métrage en prise de vue réelle et marionnettes Le hibou et le lemming, qui a inspiré ce livre. Le hibou et le lemming a été présenté à divers festivals de cinéma en 2016.

Roselynn Akulukjuk's profile page

Awards

  • Short-listed, Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award
  • Best Books for Kids and Teens
  • The Boston Globe Best Books of 2020
  • American Indians in Children's Literature's Best Books of 2020

Editorial Reviews

In My Anaana’s Amautik is a book to be savoured...it begs to be read cuddled close with the little ones we hold most dear.

A baby's perspective of being held in its anaana's (mother's) amautik ("the pouch in the back of a woman's parka where a baby can be carried") is explored in lulling, sensory-rich text and illustrations. This gentle story elevates the feelings of comfort and security that the amautik enables. — STARRED review, Horn Book Magazine

In My Anaana's Amautik is a sweet peek into the Inuit baby pouch...Adults and the little ones to whom they are reading can bond within the glow of this cultural gem as it hugs them in an atmosphere of love.

This beautifully lyrical tale set in Northern Canada is a treasure to curl up with again and again.

An Inuit baby curled in the pouch of his mother’s parka narrates what he sees and feels, protected from the cold and snuggled safe. Each page of this sensory exploration begins with the title phrase and ends with a feeling that the little boy loves, and the illustrations fancifully translate those feelings into swirling pictures. A cozy peek into a baby’s small world and big imagination. — The Boston Globe

Each spread appeals to a different sense, creating a deliciously cozy and nurturing microenvironment for this lucky tot. Inuit author and educator Sammurtok brings her work preserving Inuktitut to the text, with a spare sprinkling of vocabulary (defined in a closing glossary). The repetition of “In my anaana’s amautik” at the beginning of each short paragraph is both lulling and reinforcing of the relationship between child and mother. Canadian illustrator Lishchenko’s use of textures and subtle colors blends well with the strong, simple text. Delicate pastels give the Arctic landscape a welcoming beauty, and fanciful depictions of the similes the narrator suggests lend a playful air. The far north has never felt so deliciously warm. — STARRED review, Kirkus

Reading 'In My Anaana's Amautik' is equivalent to receiving a warm and cozy hug...The illustrations beautifully compliment the words and further incite a calm and soothing response. This is a peaceful story that is a perfect read for any little one who is preparing for a short or long sleep.

Danielle Daniel, author of Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox

This gentle story is warm, cozy, and loving—just like being in anaana’s amautik. Readers will carry this gorgeous book close to their hearts. — STARRED review, School Library Journal

Just right for bedtime, it’s an intimate tale that celebrates simple warmth and comfort.

A tender paean for the youngest readers and their caregivers.