Sweetest Kulu

by Celina Kalluk, Alexandria Neonakis (Illustrator)

Overview

"Dream a little, Kulu, this world now sings a most beautiful song of you."

This beautiful bedtime poem, written by acclaimed Inuit throat singer Celina Kalluk, describes the gifts given to a newborn baby by all the animals of the Arctic.

Lyrically and tenderly told by a mother speaking to her own little Kulu; an Inuktitut term of endearment often bestowed upon babies and young children, this visually stunning book is infused with the traditional Inuit values of love and respect for the land and its animal inhabitants.

A perfect gift for new parents.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781772271119
Publisher:	Inhabit Media
Publication date:	04/06/2016
Edition description:	English Edition
Pages:	30
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	3 Months to 2 Years

About the Author

Celina Kalluk was born and raised in Resolute Bay, Nunavut, to Zipporah Kalluk and Leonard Thibodeau. Celina has two brothers and five sisters, one sister-niece, and many more beautiful nieces and nephews. She also has four daughters of her own, Jazlin, Aulaja, Saima, and Ramata. She dedicates this book to all the mothers and fathers of this earth and to our wonderful children. Celina is also a visual artist and has illustrated several book covers and other literacy materials. Currently, she is the Inuktitut Language Specialist and Cultural Arts teacher for grades seven through twelve at Qarmartalik School in Resolute Bay. Sweetest Kulu is her first book for children.

Alexandria Neonakis is an illustrator and designer from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. She currently lives with her cat, “Kitty,” in Santa Monica, California.

Editorial Reviews

"This picture book adaptation about a new child born in the Arctic succeeds in its new board book form. While the language is sophisticated and the text is longer than most found in board books, the lyrical quality will capture children's attention. The animated illustrations dominate each page and complement the text. This purchase should be considered to add diversity and elegance to board book collections." —School Library Journal

"Debut author Kalluk presents a series of warm affirmations for a newborn (the name "Kulu" is an Inuktitut term of endearment). Neonakis's artwork...offers a genuinely folklike sensibility and strong, dynamic compositions."—Publishers Weekly

“This is a terrific book for those who have a newborn in the house… And for those of us who just need a book that rights the world for us, that reminds us of that world in all its richness.”—American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL)

“[A] lovely bedtime book . . . Young children will be captivated by the beauty of the Arctic world embracing little Kulu.”—Quill & Quire

From the Publisher

2014-10-01
A newborn child is welcomed by the sun, the wind, the Arctic land and all its animal inhabitants, who bring gifts of love and self-respect.This sweet bedtime poem, in the tradition of Debra Frasier's On the Day You Were Born (1991), is filled with the animals of the far north and the values of the author's Inuit culture. Believe in yourself. Be generous and helpful, modest and kind, creative and spontaneous, patient and never lazy. "[G]et out of bed as soon as you wake." Look to the stars. Lead gently. Neonakis' illustrations use the colors of that northern world splendidly, especially the blues and greens of the water echoed by the baby's green footie sleeper with its fur-trimmed hood. Her animals—from snow buntings and musk oxen to Arctic char and beluga whales—are stylized but recognizable, and the baby is charming. The text, a series of stanzas spoken or sung by a mother to her child, is written in sentences that are lengthy for a poem or song, but the sections are patterned in a way that is soothing and predictable, and each includes an affirmation: "happy Kulu," "magnificent Kulu," "cutest Kulu," "beloved Kulu." "Kulu" is an Inuktitut term of endearment, but this appreciation for the baby and the baby's world would make a lovely gift for any new parent. (Picture book. 0-5)

Kirkus Reviews