Grey. Brown. Its eyes were
big and yellow. Its beaky
mouth seemed wide enough
to swallow its own head.
But, Tanna thought, it's
somehow cute ...
"You'll have to take good
care of it," Father told her."
Tanna is not expecting the gift her father brings when he returns from a hunting trip. Why would he think she'd be happy with such an ugly, demanding thing? In fact, her father's intention is to help Tanna learn about caring for a creature from their natural environment. Tanna has much to learn - and she learns quickly. The tiny owl needs food, and Tanna is tasked with ensuring its survival.
As they spend time together, Tanna finds a kind of camaraderie develops between the two as long as food is part of the equation. Trapping lemmings at 4 in the morning is not Tanna's idea of an enjoyable start to her day. However, if she doesn't want to hear stomping feet and a chomping beak, she better be sure she has enough food to keep Ukpik content and growing. Ukpik offers very little reward for all the hard work. It is a pretty one-sided relationship.
Needless to say, Tanna is not unhappy when it comes time for her to return to school in the fall. No more early morning hunting. By the time she returns home for the summer, Ukpik has returned to the wild - exactly where she should be. Throughout her time caring for the owl, Tanna learns lessons in being responsible for another creature, being respectful of all nature and, more than anything else, being patient while having the owl in her care. Not easy tasks, but worthy and life-changing. That is the heart of this wonderful book.
Yong Ling Kang creates a northern background both wide-ranging and serene, in a way that perfectly matches the wise words and important story told. Wise, real and with added touches of humor, it is sure to attract the attention of those lucky enough to share this book.
Both front and back matter add to understanding the premise for the telling, and give attention to the artists who made it available for our enjoyment.
No comments:
Post a Comment