On the Shoulder of a Giant: An Inuit Folktale

Neil Christopher, illus. by Jim Nelson. Inhabit Media (IPG/Trafalgar Sq., dist.), $16.95 (38p) ISBN 978-1-77227-002-0

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Inukpak, a bearded giant so big “he could walk from one end of the Arctic to the other in just a few days,” mistakes an Inuit hunter for a child and adopts him in this entertaining retelling. The hunter accepts his role as Inukpak’s “son” for fear of upsetting the giant, waiting on shore while he catches them a “sculpin” to eat (it turns out to be a bowhead whale). Rendered in a milky palette that captures the vast seas and skies of the Arctic setting, Nelson’s richly developed artwork playfully emphasizes the hunter’s plight while making it clear that the giant is friendly and caring, despite his goofs. A good pick for readers eager to learn about giants beyond Paul Bunyan and Goliath. Ages 5–7. (July)