Nice little book about a (mis)adventure on the ice and about the value of indigenous wisdom. Perfect for young kids, but it will be also interesting for anyone fascinated by the Far North and it's harsh environment - I just wished it could be longer.

Thanks to the publisher Inhabit Media and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book.

This is the story of an Inuit man who gets stuck in the icy wastes of Canada. He spends four nights on the ice. While the storytelling totally has the feel of an elder to a child, the book is extremely sparse. If one was to remove all the illustrations, they would be left with something more along the lines of a pamphlet. Is the information here helpful? Yes. I now know how to turn a mound of snow into drinkable water… ish. I think?

'How I Survived: Four Nights on the Ice' by Serapio Ittusardjuat with illustrations by Matthew K. Hoddy is a graphic novel about a man lost on the ice.

When Serapio's snowmobile breaks down on his way back from a fishing camp, he is lost on the ice. For a lot of people, this would be a death sentence. For Serapio, keeping calm and doing what he's been trained to is what this story is about.

It's an interesting story, but feels a bit brief. The art is less than interesting, but that could be because it's mostly out on the ice.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Myrick Marketing & Media, LLC, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

A short but very culturally important book highlighting how knowledge learned in youth kept the author alive. The reader follows the author's journey of losing his way in the White North and the measures he takes to keep himself alive so he can be located. Its a fascinating story that illustrated the isolation and resilience it takes to survive in the Arctic.

How I Survived recounts Ittusardjuat’s story of when his snowmobile breaks down in the middle nowhere. He must use his knowledge of the land to keep him alive.

Originally, I did not realize that this was a children’s book. However, as a children’s book I think it tells a fantastic lesson of Indigenous Peoples and their knowledge of the land and the past. What I really liked about this is that it genuinely sounded like Ittusardjuat was telling the story aloud as I read. I also appreciated some of the additional materials such as maps and translations as I learned new things from this and I believe other readers will too. This is a very short book though and I wished there were more examples of how his knowledge of the langue helped him survive.

I do not think this should be categorized as middle grade, but it would be a wonderful children’s book, adding much-needed representation in the genre.

I enjoyed the art style of this graphic novel. The story itself was a bit too simplistic. It is meant for children, but I have read many children's books and this was still more simple than I would prefer for my child's library. What I did like was that it was a setting and event (survival in extreme cold temperatures) that most children wouldn't have experienced, so it would be a good book to expose kids to those potentially new experiences.

I’m not certain of the intended audience for this one, but it misses the mark for any that come to mind. It is too basic and lacks detail that a teen or adult reader would want, and the vocabulary is too advanced in many places for younger readers. The illustrations are nicely done. I could see the book as the script and visual aids for a presentation for older children in which the author could stop along the way for questions and explanations. Otherwise, it just seems to fall through the cracks.

This is a short graphic novel of how the author, Serapio Ittussardjuat, an Inuit man, survived four days stranded on the ice when his snowmobile broke down. The author stresses the survival skills that he had been taught by others and show how they saved his life. It brings to mind the importance of sharing your knowledge with and teaching others. You never know how much it might help them in the future. I also enjoyed the illustrations of Matthew Hoddy. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

A short, harrowing tale of how an Inuit man was able to keep himself alive for 4 days while stranded on the sea ice in Baffin Bay. He details how he remembers what he was taught as a child to survive the severe cold. It's a quick and interesting read.

This is a story of bravery and utilizing survival skills. This is a short graphic novel about a man who was stuck in one of the harshest environments on his own. He used traditional survival skills to keep himself alive until help arrived.

The art is simple and the story is pretty bare, but the information it provides is excellent. This is a good, quick read. I give this book a 4/5.

4.5 stars.

How I Survived is a short but vivid comic book telling of how the author, Serapio Ittusardjuat, had his snowmobile breakdown, leaving him stranded on sea ice for four days. Perfect for middle grade and young adult readers, this telling emphasises the importance of using traditional knowledge, especially in dangerous situations that modern life may leave you unprepared for. Having grown up on the land, the author's knowledge as an Inuit man plays an absolutely vital role in his survival. I think it's also important to see more man vs nature narratives about this type of survival in a way that isn't harmful to Indigenous people or to nature.

Whether you're looking for a short and exciting graphic memoir or a reminder of the values of traditional knowledge, this book delivers, with some engaging art and storytelling along the way.

While the story itself is short, it has some good lessons in it about learning from the past and overcoming challenges. The illustrations are simple, but they elevate the isolation of the story. Overall, this book would be useful in provoking discussions about survival, facing obstacles, and other tough topics.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance digital copy of this book.

This was a good little graphic novel. It reminded me of the I Survived series, which are always a hit with the upper elementary and middle grades crowd. I like that this is by an indigenous author. My library can always use more titles that are written by a diverse list of authors.

This title is a short and to the point tale about how lessons from a distant past can suddenly be very valuable in a modern world.

The language and the art are simple and clean. While it is lacking some complexity that would make the book more satisfying for adults and teens, the directness of the story makes it useful for the elementary school set. Younger children that are interested in survival type stories may enjoy this - although there is real danger represented and parents of sensitive children need to know this.

For the middle grade set, this book would be especially effective when paired with longer works to compliment. Call of the Wild, The Horizon series, Hatchett, I Survived books... all would work in tandem with this book in different ways.

The middling rating for this book is reflective of its extreme simplicity. Purchasing this book works for a library collection, when the budget allows for other books to compliment. If this is the only book your collection can afford of this type, you should pass in favor of others.

One major bonus for this book is the #OwnVoices status of the writer.

I found the overall plot interesting but the story was very short and almost choppy. I would have liked the story to be more fleshed out so I could feel more of a connection to not just the main character but to the overall plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review .

I’m fascinated with Nunavut and the North West Territories and hoping to visit both over the next coupl,e of years , so I was really excited about this book.

This is a quick read, with pretty cool graphics, but the story is lacking a bit. I was expecting a bit more depth to the story and more information on survival skills

An excellent, short, and informative graphic novel about Inuit methods for surviving on the ice. As entertaining as it was beautiful to look it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

It might not feel like it, but knowing how to survive on ice is a very important skill to have. After all, you never know when you are going to need it.
I didn't know about the gas/water tip, honestly, as he was explaining it, I thought there was no way that would work, but it did. Then it didn't lol.
That being said, I wish it had more useful tips in here, and that he commented on his mistake of eating all of the food on the first day, instead of rationalizing it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a short graphic novel with pretty good illustrations. There really wasn't much to the story. I was expecting a bit more depth and information on how he survived four nights on the ice. Overall, this was just so so.

This is a fast -paced personal account of a man being lost in the frozen north. Graphic illustrations make for easy and enjoyable reading. Lots of good lessons if you take the time to think about them.