Nessa's Story (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Neil Waldman (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-As Nessa listens to her grandmother's stories in the gathering place, she wishes she had tales of her own to tell. Her search ends while out on the tundra. Sitting beside a large white rock, she imagines that it is an egg that hatches into a big shaggy creature, reminiscent of a woolly mammoth. Although the animal disappears into the earth when the fog lifts, the image lives on as Nessa shares her story with her grandmother and other listeners. In addition to highlighting the importance of storytelling in the Eskimo culture, this eloquently told tale also describes egg gathering, the use of sealskin boots and a skin pack, and the behavior of some tundra animals. The informative author's note cites a collection of legends from a variety of Arctic cultures as her inspiration. The words are simple, yet the images and sounds they create are vivid and powerful. The main part of each thin black-line-bordered watercolor illustration fills the right side of each double-page spread and spans across the center. Some of the artwork flows over the borders and spills off the page. The soft, cool colors in a variety of pastel pinks, blues, purples, greens, and browns blend into scenes both realistic and imaginary. The images of the curling fog rising from the ground and lifting with the appearance of the sun are almost magical. An auditory and visually appealing read-aloud and a challenging but thought-provoking story for older children.
Roz Goodman, Bering Strait School District Media Center, Unalakleet, AK
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Nessa's grandmother recounts the legends of her people through the long winter. When spring comes Nessa decides to look for her own story to tell. Nessa, the stalwart Inuit girl from Nessa's Fish, returns for another satisfying adventure, again illustrated in luminous watercolors.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum (March 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689317824
• ISBN-13: 978-0689317828
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 9.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
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• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #566,897 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)