Simple concept: words have power. In this case, the ancient Inuits believed that words could turn people into animals and vice versa and make fish rain from the sky. From an early reader point of view, this was a somewhat difficult book to read. The typeset was very stylized, with most of the text printed in straight, left-to-right lines, but sometimes the lines ran in curves in and around the pictures. Also, the lower case Y and G were backward of how children are taught to write. The pictures were gorgeous, however, with an almost auroral feel to some of them. This book would be good for a study on native people and beliefs. The book would be a good springboard discussion of how people don't really turn into animals and fish don't really rain from the sky just because someone says the words would be in order. Children should also be lead to discuss how words do indeed have the power to hurt or to heal people's hearts.

I received this book as an eARC for free from the author, the publishers, and NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.

This was a beautiful book that children will love as well as the adults that may read it with them. This book would be perfect in school libraries and classrooms. I loved the artwork, and how vivid it is. The font is even interesting. Most important, the poem told is very sweet, and I think it is great for children culturally as well as fun to read.