Where the Great Bear Watches - Hardcover

Kindergarten-Grade 3-As a young Inuit boy paddles his kayak in search of food for his family and dogs, he sings a song of love, respect, and appreciation for the animals that share his land. The story is rich in Eskimo culture and highlights many important attributes of the people, including the joy of being self-sufficient, the importance of being a skillful hunter, and the pride in being a good provider. The well-spaced and paced words flow across the pages in a variety of configurations amid the illustrations. The colorful, descriptive sentences are simple, yet full of rhythm. The woodblock prints dance across each page in various sizes and from various perspectives. Many of them stretch across double spreads. Acrylic paint in soft, muted tones is effectively used to breathe life into each picture. The fish, porpoise, and whale swim; the birds fly; the great bear stalks; the family anticipates the return of their son; and the little kayaker's smile exudes happiness. Although written for younger children, this book should make anyone who reads it smile.
Roz Goodman, Bering Strait School District Media Center, Unalakleet, AK
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Ages 3-7. A young Inuit boy paddles his kayak across the water in search of game to feed his family. As he paddles, he thinks of the wildlife that surrounds him: whales and seals swimming in the sea; seabirds flying in the air; the great bear stalking on the land. "`Hello, hello, great bear!' I call. `I cannot see you, but I know you are there.'" Written with the rhythm and cadence of a chant, Sage's text lends itself to reading aloud. In what appear to be hand-colored block prints, Flather evokes an entire environment using only the suggestion of background. Her stylized geometric forms of whale, walrus, and bear have power and grace, as does her image of the small kayak in the midst of an infinite sea. Sage provides no sources regarding cultural details. Janice Del Negro