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Children's Fiction Native Canadian

Spencer the Siksik Makes a New Friend

English Edition

by (author) Nadia Sammurtok & Shawna Thomson

illustrated by Valentina Jaskina

Publisher
Arvaaq Press
Initial publish date
Nov 2021
Category
Native Canadian, Polar Regions, Friendship, Values & Virtues
Recommended Age
6 to 8
Recommended Grade
2
Recommended Reading age
6 to 8
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781774502907
    Publish Date
    Nov 2021
    List Price
    $10.95
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781774502914
    Publish Date
    Nov 2021
    List Price
    $14.95

Classroom Resources

Where to buy it

Description

Spencer the siksik is excited for the first day of school! When he gets to class, the teacher introduces a new student: Gary the snow goose. Spencer doesn't want to let Gary play with him and his friends. He thinks Gary will just confuse things because he is new. But when Spencer sees that Gary is upset, he remembers what his grandmother taught him about being welcoming.

This book is the first in a series that teaches children about Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit principles, or "IQ" principles, which are a set of communal rules that focus on the ways one is expected to behave. This book teaches the IQ principle of Tunnganarniq: Being Welcoming.

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

Shawna Thomson grew up in southern Ontario but has called Nunavut home since 2011 when she moved to Taloyoak. She currently works as an educator in Iqaluit, where she lives with her husband and their two dogs. Since moving to Nunavut, she has always been fascinated by stories of the giants and the little people. When she is not writing or teaching, she enjoys running, yoga, going hiking with her dogs, or reading historical fiction.

Shawna Thomson's profile page

Valentina Jaskina always wanted to be an artist. As a child, she painted on the walls of her parents' house. She dreamed of illustrating books or drawing cartoons. In her school years, she studied at a children's art school and then studied classical drawing, painting, and graphic design at the Novosibirsk Art College. She lives in Siberia with her husband, two daughters, and their funny dog Waffle. The world of children and their vivid emotions and unbridled imaginations are an endless source of inspiration for her work.

Valentina Jaskina's profile page

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