I know this was originally published about a decade ago, so I take some things with a grain of salt. Still, I can't help but notice that this book doesn't seem to have any native names attached to the project. The artwork is stunning but was there not a native artist who could represent their own stories or a native who could translate a story that they would know better than an outsider? Preserving native peoples' stories is important, but it should be done minimally with consultation/input from a native person. I'm sure there are illustrated books out there by native people that would be more beneficial than this one, as lovely as the artwork is.

Thank you to netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wonderful and stunning illustrations provided inside the book. Beautiful way to introduce kids about Inuit culture (which is new for me too). I love the magical vibes this book offered inside. A must read in a family. Thank you Netgalley for providing this book.

Magic Words invites adults and children into the magical world of Inuit Culture; a culture that has an extremely intimate relationship with the natural world (and one I enjoy learning more and more about). This journey to a place where humans and animals share bodies and languages could be a wonderful starting point for some exciting and imaginative lessons with learners of all ages. The exploring and researching Inuit and other cultures, geography lessons, and art lessons based on the phenomenal illustrations that bring the words to life are just some of the possibilities. I struggle with having a close relationship with nature, so any story that reminds me of the importance of that relationship, hits me in a profound way.

Fun book for any classroom! The illustrations really bring this to life, a lovely book for any home or educational setting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

The illustrations in this short book are absolutely stunning. Some of the best images in recent memory. However; while I loved the brief introduction to Inuit mythology and the ide that all of nature and humanity is interconnected the text is really lacking. It won’t satisfy most readers to hear that humans and animals used to speak the same language and humans words were magic without explanation. The books ends by saying no one no why these things were. They just were. I wanted to know more about the animals and the magical happenings that humans brought about simply by their words. I rounded up because visually this is a masterpiece.

Reading how the world came into being through the Inuit Cosmology was made even more beautiful by the amazingly gorgeous illustrations throughout it all. It’s, bold, it’s bright and colourful and fits each section so nicely.

This poem shows the power that words hold and people’s role within this creation and within the world. Showing how there is no difference between people and animals and how they all spoke the same language. I throughly enjoyed this read, especially with the addition of the illustrations. This is something that is completely different to how the origins are told where I live and it was great to read and discover something new from a different culture. I honestly think I prefer this origins beginning compared to others and for that reason it is going to stay with me for a while.

I’m not somebody who is usually drawn to poetry and I wouldn’t claim to know how it is meant to be perceived, but I do know how this made me feel. I wish that it was a little longer, but maybe the shortness of it is what makes it beautiful, especially when you think about how much is provided and told, in such few words. I also have to admit that it was the illustrations of this book/poem that made this even better and I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much without the words being brought to life on the pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and Vanita Books for providing this review copy!

This is a truly magical picture book designed to inspire wonder in the earliest readers.
The art is beautiful and the colors used are vibrant and striking.
This book is a wonderful way to introduce children to the Inuit culture and it will undoubtedly set their imagination running wild thinking about all the possibilities of words and the adventures they can lead to.

Magic Words is a fantastic children’s book. Translated from the Inuit language it is accompanied with the most beautiful drawings and vibrant colours. My children enjoyed the drawings of animals and we sat and cuddled while they named all the different animals in the story. They loved hearing about the magic of humans being animals and animals turning into humans.
What a great book. Recommend to all families of young curious ones.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a free copy of this book.

I love the enthralling and magical concept of Inuit folklore but the execution of this book fell flat for me—and perhaps it's due to the fact that this text is a modern translation from notes recorded by a Danish explorer in 1921. So, whilst this book states that this is from an ancient oral Inuit tale, I don't know if there are any Inuit involvement with this book in terms of text or publication. (Although the ending felt abrupt and certain texts felt disconnected and jarring so...)

Not to say I didn't enjoy this book. The text felt more like poetry rather than a story. Furthermore, the accompanying art style is captivating and whimsical. However, I feel incorporating actual Inuit artist may have been a better choice.

I believe it's important to form an understanding and appreciation of cultures therefore if you're looking for an Inuit tale, I would recommend reading books written by Inuit authors (e.g. Arctic Stories by Michael Kusugak).

Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me.

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

The illustrations by Mike Blanc in Magic Words are beautiful. The full color pictures and simple line drawings are a delight for grown ups and children. I appreciate this children’s book about an Inuit creation story. However, the book itself is extremely short. By the time you get into it, the book is over. The words are Edward Field’s English translation of Danish explorer Knud Rasmussen’s writings which were supposedly told to him by the Inuit people. That is a lot of non-Inuit people involved in an Inuit story. It would have been much better to go speak with Inuit people about the creation story, credit them, and have them add more to the story. While the illustrations are 5 stars for me, the failed attempt to convey a culture from that culture gets 0 stars.

Wow, the illustrations are so beautiful! They grab you right away and draw you in! The story is simple but powerful. I think this is a wonderful story for both children and adults.

Let me start by saying the illustrations in this book are jaw-dropping, breathtakingly BEAUTIFUL. It's like candy for your eyes while honoring a unique culture. I love the spreading of a traditional Inuit poem and bringing awareness to a culture that not many have learned about. Children will adore the magical feeling of this book. However, I think this book needs to be paired with some facts or background. While it is a powerful poem to understand how Inuit people see the world, kids will view this book simply as made up or fantasy without any facts or background information to pair with it. While it can be a beloved tale and introduce them to the culture, I think they will struggle to make the connection with this book being about real people and their beliefs.

Special thanks to NetGalley for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review

First off I'll say the art in this was beautiful. But I can't bring myself to appreciate it more than that. All this does is say that once upon a time, people could be animals and animals could be people. There wasn't a set character to follow and see that sort of journey. It just says this is how things used to be, and that was it. If this had a specific character or journey to follow I think it would have been better. As it is, I don't really see kids being abe to connect with it too much

Magic Words is a modern translation (1965) of a very old Inuit creation story by Edward Field. The art in this picture book is stunning. I love learning about different cultures and this poem is the first story I have read about Inuit culture. I really recommend this picture book as it is beautiful, however, I have been trying to find reviews of the translation and artwork by those part of the Inuit culture but have not found one yet. Please let me know if you did!

Thanks for the chance to review this book in exchange for honest feedback. First, I will say that the illustrations for this book are incredible. I really thought they were stunning and captured the imaginative nature of the text. The downside of this book is that it is abrupt in its ending. I understand that it is a translation, but I am just not sure if this book captures the story strongly enough. The ending leaves me wishing there were just maybe a few pages more? Perhaps to tell the reader about the translation or the people from which it came.

Inuit Cosmology, the spiritual narrative of how the world came to be and the place people have in it, is rich and kind, and it has interested me for some time.

Drastically different to the origin myths and legends from Europe and Asia, which we may find more familiar, in the Inuit origin myth there are no mother or father figures and the cosmos is ruled by no one.

In this cosmology, language is how we interpret the world, recreating it. Hence language in itself is an act of creation and our place in the world is defined and created by it. With such emphasis on the spoken world, it’s not difficult to understand that words hold magic—both, literally and metaphorically. Such magic is at the center of this beautiful Inuit folktale: Magic Words.

Recorded and first translated to Danish by Knud Rasmussen during his 1920 expedition to the Arctic Circle, now translated to English by Edward Field and Illustrated by Mike Blanc, Magic Words recounts a time before we’ve forgotten how to speak the true language of the world. A time when word and reality were one.

I loved this folktale poem.

When you read it, take your time enjoying each of the words, feeling their magic course through your eyes, your mind, your tongue, if you read it aloud.

Feel the bear, the caribou, the fish, the rabbit, the wolf… let them be one with you again, rediscovering the magic stored in their names.

Take a moment as the magic and power of your mind awakens with the words.

“A word spoken by change
Might have strange consequences”

You just have to let them be, strange and beautiful, as eerie and colorful as the illustrations filling the pages with its own kind of magic.

Folktales are powerful, they channel the essence of other people, their vision of the world. This one is very effective in that regard, and for that, it can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. Short, sweet, simple and complex, as the many magic words it holds inside.

Really cute and deep story. This isn’t just for kids but also for adults that will appreciate the stpry for more than the literal text.

This book is absolutely gorgeous. I could look. at the illustrations all day. My only complaint about the book is that it isn't longer. I'm glad the care was taken to translate it and to create such stunning artwork to accompany the text.

This was a super interesting read! We know little of the Inuit, but my kids and I were totally caught up in their idea of these "magic words" and all the wonderous possibilities. I personally really enjoyed what this book means in regards to its history, being passed on through the Inuit's and then shared by Danish explorer Knud Rasmussen and now shared with beautiful illustrations. We really enjoyed this book and I believe it would be the perfect addition to a children's library. It's idea of a world where humans and animals are so intertwined is, I believe, a great tool for children to learn of the connectedness we have with the natural world.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

Just a beautiful picture book for young readers. The artwork is just stunning! I would recommend this book for pre-K through 1st grade.