Welcome to Iñupiat Nunat: The Story of the Real People of the Arctic

by Debby Dahl Edwardson, Saggan George Edwardson, Nasugraq Rainey Hopson (Illustrator)

Overview

An immersive picture book that follows a modern Iñupiat family as they share their connection to their land, heritage, and history in the Arctic, culminating in Nalukataq, an annual celebration, illustrated by Newbery Honoree Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson.

Welcome to Iñupiat Nunat, where the Arctic wind blows over frozen tundra.

The Iñupiat live here. They always have.

With snow as their compass, Iñupiat ancestors first trekked by foot, and later by dog team. With snowmobiles, modern Iñupiat still use the ice and snow as their roadway.

The Iñupiat treat the land with respect. The seal, caribou, polar bear, and ducks feed and clothe the Iñupiat, who in turn honor and respect those lives and spirits.

In the summer, at the Nalukataq, the Iñupiat celebrate the bowhead whale, which has provided warmth and food for thousands of years, through today and beyond. The whales are the spiritual heart of the culture. Thousands gather in gratitude to eat, sing, dance, and share stories. This tradition, and their histories and stories, continue on.

The Iñupiat, the real people of the Arctic, have always lived there – and they always will.

Powerfully written by Saġġan George Edwardson and National Book Award finalist Debby Dahl Edwardson, with gorgeous illustrations by Newbery Honoree Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson, Welcome to Iñupiat Nunat is a joyful exploration of indigenous environmentalism, the cultural strength of Arctic communities, and the importance of preserving oral history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250896162
Publisher:	Roaring Brook Press
Publication date:	05/19/2026
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	11.00(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Debby Dahl Edwardson grew up in Minnesota where she spent summers at her family cabin on an island near the Canadian border. She attended school in Norway and has lived for over 40 years in Utqiaġvik, Alaska, the northernmost community in the country. Her picture book, Whale Snow was named an NCSS/CBC Notable, a Banks Street Best, Independent Publishers’ Best Picture Book of the Year and an IRA Notable Book for a Global Society. Her first novel, Blessing’s Bead was selected by the Junior Library Guild and named an ALA/YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults and, by Booklist. Her novel My Name is Not Easy was a finalist for the National Book Award. She earned an MFA from Vermont College in 2005 and is an adjunct instructor at Ilisaġvik College, a tribal college.

George Saġġan Edwardson served as President of the Iñupiat Community of the Arctic Slope (ICAS) for nearly 30 years. ICAS is federally recognized tribal government with jurisdiction over the 89,000-square-mile territory known as the North Slope of Alaska. ICAS is charged with preserving the inherent sovereign rights and powers of the Iñupiat. George was also a longtime delegate to the Inuit Circumpolar Council, an organization representing the Inuit peoples of Russia, Alaska, Canada and Greenland. He earned a degree in Geology from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks and worked on mapping the geology of Native regions of Alaska. He was born and raised in Utqiaġvik, Alaska, where he grew up hunting, whaling and learning from his elders. He is a traditional storyteller and oral historian. He and his wife Debby have seven children and 16 grandchildren.

Born and raised in the rural expanse of the North Slope of Alaska, Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson grew up on fantastic tales from her unique and rich Indigenous Iñupiaq culture. When she is not writing or creating art inspired by these stories, she is studying how to grow food in the arctic and is working at preserving traditional Iñupiaq knowledge. She has a degree in Studio Art and has taught all levels of Art from kindergarten to college level. She lives in Anaktuvuk Pass Alaska with her husband and daughter, three dogs, and a small flock of arctic chickens where she lives off the land and the amazing bounty it provides like her ancestors did for thousands of years. She is the author of Eagle Drums.