Loved reading this. Beautiful illustrations and a wonderful retelling of an Inuit folktale. Love the way the story is embedded into nature, beliefs and ways of life of people who lived in the Arctic at the time. Also a beautiful lesson about being kind to each other, including marginalised groups such as people with disabilities.

The wise old Inuit man, Teragloona, said to me, “Soon we will go to the two islands the white trader calls ‘Diomedes.’” So begins the story of Fish Boy: An Inuit Folk Tale as told by Vanita Oelschlager. This 2017 book, with art by award-winning illustrator Mike Blanc, was published by Vanita Books LLC. All net profits from purchases of books from Vanita Books are donated to the Oak Clinic, which supports those living with Multiple Sclerosis.

Fish Boy is a retelling of a piece of Inuit folklore – this particular story being the origin of the large number of Atlantic puffins (called sea parrots in the story) that can be found in the region. The framing story starts with Teragloona telling the story to a child after they travel to trade at a nearby island. The story is told in an accessible way, with a little glossary at the back of the book explaining the translations for some Inuit terms used within the book. The book is respectful to the culture from whence it came, and also aware of new lessons that can be learned from the old story.

The story within the story, that of Kitmesuk and Fish Boy, is of particular note due to how it frames disability. Kitmesuk cannot walk the long distances required for hunting, so instead he makes his living fishing. Although he is a very skilled fisherman, on this day he is not having much luck as something has scared the fish away. The fish are frightened, because there is a little boy swimming in the waters. The boy, who calls himself Fish Boy, has a long fishtail with little feet at the end and no arms - and he wants Kitmesuk to be his father. Kitmesuk is reluctant - he can’t teach a boy with no arms to fish - but they come to an agreement when Fish Boy reveals he can help show Kitmesuk where to find the biggest fish each day. Together, they become famous across the region for all the good fish they bring in.

The village’s neighbors become interested in Fish Boy, but also jealous of the success that he and Kitmesuk have found. What follows is a lesson in the importance of hospitality and acceptance. Although Fish Boy has no arms, he is an inspirational figure, as is Kitmesuk himself. The folkloric origin for the puffins that scatter across the waters and islands is a lesson in the importance of kindness to others, presented in easy to understand terms. In the form of this children’s book, it is also a way to learn about other cultures and geography - two maps are found between these pages with the names of the islands in the original language as well as what they are now called.

The illustrations in this book are gorgeous. There’s a fluid quality to them, much like the icy climes the story takes place in. The attention paid to accurate clothing and tools among the people is breathtaking, and the textures of the furs are painstakingly painted. This is a fun read, and with the activities in the back of the book, it would be easy for it to be the start of a child’s storytelling career. These folktales persist for a reason, and Fish Boy only continues to grow in relevance with his message of kindness, acceptance, and hospitality.

We need more folktales from Indigenous cultures and this was a wonderful addition. A bit long - definitely geared towards older kids. Really liked that there was a glossary in back to be able to learn some of the language.

I love the tradition of teaching origin stories to each generation by the elders in so many Indigenous cultures.

I've always enjoyed learning about different cultures, especially those that I kind of know about.

This book has really wet my appetite again and I want to learn more about the culture of the Inuit people!

I lived in Alaska for three years, and over the course of that time I was able to gain some inside knowledge about the Inuit people and how they live.
Their culture and way of life is one like I have never seen before. It is so beautiful and intricate all at the same time.

I think more adults need to read this, not just kids.

I wish it was slightly shorter, but that is just because my little one can't quite sit still for longer periods of time yet.

Beautiful illustrations! What a wonderful story of self discovery. Will recommend for anyone looking for a children’s book.

Such a beautiful and beautifully told Inuit folk tale! There is quite a lot of text and the drawings are bright, clear, and beautiful. Text and drawings together make it a beautiful read. This is such a beautiful way to get kids interested in Inuit traditions, culture, and history, love it.

This is an Inuit Folk Tale to explain why there are so many sea-parrots on the ocean. It's the story of Kitmesuk and Fish-boy being told by Teragloona to a child to explain how there came to be so many sea-parrots on the ocean. Throughout the tale it talks about hunting and killing animals for food, trade, treating guests and strangers well with respect.

No creo que sea un libro 100% para nenes. Tienen que profundizarse ciertas cosas.
El arte es lo que sube la puntuación. La trama es medio meh.

This explanatory folktale from the Inuit people tells the reader about the indigenous group’s culture, as well as charms and entertains on the merits of its story and illustrations. The book would be a worthy addition to the folklore section of a public library or an elementary school library.

Fish-Boy retells an Inuit legend about a boy with no arms and a tail instead of legs. A man finds him and the fish-boy wants him to become his father. While the man is hesitant at first, he finally agrees. The book also follows the reaction of the people around the boy and his adoptive father.

The artwork in this book is gorgeous with varying blues in the water and an amazing sunset on one page. Though it is a picture book, I think 3-4th graders and up would be a good audience for it because of the amount of words and new vocabulary. I love that the author defines the vocabulary in the back of the book and provides information to adults to further the conversation after reading this book.

The moral of this story was a very nice one. The drawings were vibrant and pleasant to the eyes.
But I did feel that for a children's book it was quite serious. A little heavy on the writing style and vocabulary as well.
Overall a fun one.

Beautiful illustrations and a relaxing color palette to accompany the re-telling of this magical tale of friendship, kindness and the journey taken that doesn't go as planned.

I do think that the writing was a bit dense for the age range that it's marketed to- I think it's more suited towards higher level learners.

Thank you NetGalley and Vanita Books for this e-ARC.

This is a lovely folk tale with gorgeous illustrations about an old Inuit legend about Sea-Parrots. The story is told in such a beautiful and magical way.

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
The book is based on an Inuit folk tale. Fish-Boy travels with his adoptive father and learns about hospitality and kindness to others. The story is structured as a story within a story.
This was an interesting story that worked as an origin story.
This is a good story for children or anyone interested in folktales.

First and foremost, I would love to thank NetGalley, the author, and publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this advanced copy. This book has great art. Recommended

Fish-Boy by Vanita Oelsclager - 4 stars

Fish-Boy is a retelling of an old Inuit legend for Sea-Parrots. The story is told in such a beautiful way that not only keeps you captivated but opens your eyes to a magical world.
The Fish-Boy is an armless mermaid boy that uses his magical powers to help not only himself, but his father and their fishing crew make it home after finding themselves stranded.

This is a beautiful story and kept all my littles attention. Great folk tale reading, and the added terms defined at the end of the story were very helpful.

Thank you NetGalley and Vanita Books for the ARC.

This is a cute retelling of an old Inuit legend. I like the maps and Atlantic puffins the best of the artwork. There is a creative section at the end about ways to discuss this with children.

4.5 Stars
The Fish-Boy is an Inuit folktale about a merman (or merboy, to be precise) and Atlantic puffins. I think Puffins are super cute birds with colorful beaks and penguin-like bodies.
A lonely man who makes a living by catching and selling fish meets the Fish-Boy during one of his trips. He doesn’t want to adopt the Fish-Boy but agrees when the little one says he’ll help catch more fish. The story goes on to show how the nearby villagers praise the man and Fish-Boy, then attack them because of their stupidity. Similar to other folklore, the Fish-Boy deals with several themes like goodness, respect, serving guests, etc.
The illustrations are wonderful. The color scheme is just brilliant and suits the content on the page. Scenes inside a cozy dwelling have warm hues, while the outside world has white, blue, and icy shades. The Fish-Boy is adorable with his colorful tail and layered hairstyle.
To summarize, Fish-Boy is a charming folktale from a faraway land with icy shores and lovely people. The glossary and additional information at the end of the book are icing on the cake. And did I mention the maps? So good!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Vanita Books and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fish boy is a retelling of the Inuit folk tale for the origins of sea parrots. Books that teach children about other cultures in an accessible way are so important and this book did exactly that. The gorgeous illustrations made this one a delight to read. I also loved the incorporation of the Inuit language. A great book for the home and the classroom.

an Inuit Folk Tale about the origins of puffins/sea parrots
Also a lesson in hospitality
An armless fish boy and his adoptive father help with fish, cause pandemonium, eventually lead evil men to a wonderful fate of being puffins! Spoiler alert, I guess