Orphan Ahwak [Paperback]

Raquel Rivera (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: 4 and up

When the hunted becomes the hunter.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Rivera has written this story with touches of humor and tenderness..." (CM Magazine 20071208)

"Aneze's adventures, and the folklore woven through the story, will appeal to both boys and girls." (Resource Links 20080301)

"Rivera skillfully interweaves fact and imagination. This little story is a true gem ." (VOYA 20080501)

"A skilful blend of fact and fiction, Rivera fashions a mesmerizing page-turner that is filled with many touches of early aboriginal life." (St. Albert Gazette 20080301)

"Orphan Ahwak features a female protagonist who is strong and resilient..." (Library Media Connection )

"...charming...full of adventure and atmosphere." (KLIATT )

"The author's biggest achievements in this work are two-fold: her creation of a character who portrays the strength of the human spirit, and her ability to immerse us into a foreign world so completely that we miss it when it's gone." (Canadian Children's Book News )

About the Author

Raquel Rivera is a poet, artist, illustrator and writer who has written three children's books. She has lived in Barcelona, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur but now makes her home in Montreal, Quebec, with her husband and two children.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 137 pages
• Publisher: Orca Book Publishers (September 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1551436531
• ISBN-13: 978-1551436531
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,679,412 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Orphan Ahwak a story of wilderness survival, March 4, 2008

By 

Robert Brady "cataloger" (Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Orphan Ahwak (Paperback)

At a time before Europeans set foot on the American continent, Aneze, a young First Nations girl, survives the brutal raid of her family's camp by an enemy tribe. As she struggles to survive on her own, first in the forest and then in a remote world of tundra and sea-ice, she endures cold and hunger and befriends people whose customs are foreign to her own.

In my continual search for well written Native American stories, stories that I judge have an authentic Native American voice and viewpoint, I reject many. But this one's a keeper. It's a wonderful wilderness survival story with a rapid pace both boys and girls will enjoy. I only wish it was longer. The only other story of Inuit life I find that I can compare it favorably to is Julie of the wolves by Jean Craighead George. If you like one, you will like the other. Both stories will linger long in your memory.

I offer a few more of my favorite Native American stories:
For young readers (if you want them to explore Inuit life) I recommend Angela from the Arctic written by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith. It describes the life, family and activities of an Inuit (Eskimo) girl living today in Alaska. The pictures are most enjoyable. For middle school to adult readers: Trouble's daughter (the story of Susanna Hutchinson, Indian captive) by Katherine Kirkpatrick. And finally, The birchbark house by Louise Erdrich, for which I recommend you get the audiobook version as read by Nicolle Littrell.