The Hungry Giant of the Tundra [Paperback]

Teri Sloat (Adapter), Robert Sloat (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

At sundown, a group of children ignore their parents' calls to come home. Suddenly a huge form darkens the horizon. It's the hungry giant, looking for his supper.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-A masterful retelling that combines rich, lively language that reads aloud well and colorful, detailed illustrations that capture children at play on the autumn tundra. When they disobey their parents' instructions to return home, they are confronted by a hungry giant and escape via a small amount of wit and a good deal of luck. The layout is creative and has some interesting perspectives, and the characters' faces are very expressive. (The giant looks more imposing than frightening, however, and is perhaps a bit too hairy for a Yup'ik Eskimo.) Also, while the story comes from the Yup'ik Eskimo of the Bethel region of Alaska, the artist's representation of the houses, terrain, and vegetation are more indicative of interior Alaska. The chants, the repetition of the giant's name, and the song of the chickadee that saves the children invite listeners to participate in the telling of this tale that is told throughout Canada and Alaska. A welcome addition to folktale collections.
Roz Goodman, Bering Strait School District Media Center, Unalakleet, AK
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Ages 5-8. This Yupik tale, like many stories of this Native Alaskan tribe, entertains as well as instructs about conduct in a northern environment where obedience to directions often determines survival. Village children play on the tundra during the day but usually heed their parents' calls to return home before the giant Akaguagankak arrives. However, one day the youngsters stay too late, and by the time the littlest boy warns the others of the ugly smell, the giant appears, hungry for his supper. He catches the children, plops them into his trousers (which he has removed and tied together to form a basket), and hangs them in a tree while he gets his knife. With the help of a chickadee and a crane, the children escape and fool the giant. Although spotlighting the resourcefulness of the children and birds and the dullness of the giant, this also focuses on the importance of nature in the culture. The softly colored drawings accent the humor and also capture summertime on the tundra. To aid pronunciation, the giant's name is broken into syllables each time it appears in the text. Deborah Abbott --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Alaska Northwest Books (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0882405365
• ISBN-13: 978-0882405360
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #624,490 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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