Books for Kids: THE POLAR BEAR SON AN INUIT TALE Retold by Lydia Dabcovich

THE POLAR BEAR SON AN INUIT TALE Retold and Illustrated by Lydia Dabcovich

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1999-03-29 - Pages: 40
Ages: 4 and up

There was something about the book cover that drew me into this Inuit tale.

"Illustrated in muted pastel colors, the pictures capture this stark, yet beautiful,winter world." - School Library Journal

An old Inuit woman who had no family or sons to hunt for her finds an orphan polar bear and takes him home.

She takes care of him and shares what little food she has with him.

He grows strong and big enough to fish and hunt for her. Soon she has plenty of food and furs. "And, as is the custom of the Intuit, she shared every good catch with the bear and the whole village."

The villagers take the food but soon the hunters become angry and jealous and decide to kill the polar bear saying that he is too dangerous. She pleads for her son's life but no one will listen. She goes to her son, the polar bear to tell him to leave and not look back. "Sadly, the old woman and the children watched him disappear into the distance."

The old woman once again finds herself alone and hungry. She goes out onto the ice and calls for her son. She doesn't have to wait long for Kunikdjuaq (pronounced koo-nick-joo-uck) to run and meet her. She checks him over carefully for injuries. He brings her food which they eat together and she takes the rest home.

"This went on for many years. And, up to this day, the Inuit tell the story of the faithful bear Kunikdjuaq and the old woman who brought him up."

My granddaughters and I love this heart warming story about a mothers love for her adopted son.

Please feel free to leave your comments. I would love to hear from you. What did you think of this book?

LYDIA DABCOVICH BIOGRAPHY

While researching on the internet for a picture of Lydia Dabcovich I came across her obituary. My heart dropped.

"Mrs. Lydia (Duenias) Dabcovich, an award-winning author and illustrator, died Tuesday, March 20th (2012) after a long period of declining health from complications of Lewy Body disease. Mrs. Dabcovich, a resident of Brookline, was 76."

This is the site, if you wish to investigate: http://hosting-tributes-24123.tributes.com/show/Lydia-Dabcovich-93480325

Lydia authored/illustrated more than 30 books, including;

"From Publishers Weekly Dabcovich's stories could serve as models for preschool picture books. With minimal text peppering her refreshingly unpretentious illustrations, she creates compelling, fully realized tales that are perfectly tuned to the youngest audience. Here, mother duck is teaching her offspring to fly. Everyone cooperates except the runt (easily spotted by his pinfeathers), who is too interested in the sights and sounds of his river home to pay attention. While his brothers and sisters sail off skyward, the little one paddles contentedly downstream, where, in a triumphant conclusion, an unexpected obstacle leaves him no choice but to try his wings. Like Robert McCloskey before her, Dabcovich ( Sleepy Bear ; Mrs. Huggins & Her Hen Hannah ) manages without anthropomorphizing to imbue her ducks with expression and personality. Ages 2-4. Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc."