The Haunted Blizzard

by Aviaq Johnston, Athena Gubbe (Illustrator)

Overview

A teenage girl walks home in a burgeoning blizzard, happy to have an unexpected snow day. Ignoring an Elder’s warning about the terror the blizzard holds, she finds herself alone in her home with an unseen presence stalking and tormenting her. What does it want? And will she survive?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781772275605
Publisher:	Inhabit Media
Publication date:	06/03/2025
Edition description:	English Edition
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Aviaq Johnston is a young Inuk author from Igloolik, Nunavut. Her debut novel Those Who Run in the Sky was released in the spring of 2017. In 2014, she won first place in the Aboriginal Arts and Stories competition for her short story “Tarnikuluk,” which also earned her a Governor General’s History Award. Aviaq is a graduate of Nunavut Sivuniksavut, and she has a diploma in Social Service Work from Canadore College. Aviaq loves to travel and has lived in Australia and Vietnam. She spends most of her time reading, writing, studying, and procrastinating. She lives in Iqaluit, Nunavut.

Athena Gubbe is an Ontario-based artist. She works as an animator and painter. In her spare time you can find her backpacking in the wilderness and working with wildlife.

Editorial Reviews

"Atmospheric and otherworldly; evokes a sense of mystery and unease and will leave readers wanting more."—★ Kirkus, STARRED review

"But the power of the surface horror story – as effective as it is – is something of a mask; there is a deeper story here, a story of grief and loss, which bubbles under the surface (the subtle clues are easy to miss on the first reading) before coming to a full boil in the book’s final pages.” —★ Quill & Quire, STARRED review

From the Publisher

★ 2025-04-19
A graphic novel adaptation of Johnston’s short story “Iqsinaqtutalik Piqtuq: The Haunted Blizzard,” which first appeared in the anthologyTaaqtumi (2019).

Inu, an Inuit seventh grader living in the Canadian north, is at school when an announcement alerts students to an impending blizzard. Excited by the early release, she and her friends Nita and Ulii start walking home together through the thickly falling snowflakes. They first pass Ulii’s house and then Nita’s. Inu declines Nita’s grandma’s invitation to come inside, despite her warning that “the storm is full of bad things.” On her way home, Inu spots a frightening skeletal figure emerging from the shadows. With both her parents stuck at work, Inu is alone; her mother calls and reassures Inu that her overactive imagination is likely responsible for her fear of whatever she saw outside. A candle and memorial photo of a boy who seems to be Inu’s brother sit on a table, offering insight into her family history. Inu tries to drown out mysterious creaks and bangs with the TV, but finally, telling herself she shouldn’t be so afraid, she sets off to investigate. This short work features Gubbe’s haunting, striking illustrations that utilize creative visual angles and framing and fill in the gaps left by the minimal text. The dark, dramatic backgrounds contrast with pops of color, and the surprise ending leaves room for readers’ imaginations.

Atmospheric and otherworldly; evokes a sense of mystery and unease and will leave readers wanting more.(Graphic horror. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews