The art in this is so very pretty and works well with the narrative. The story itself is based on an authentic Inuit folk tale, which is fantastic to see more diverse folk tales available. It's a good story for elementary school-aged kids.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC of FISH BOY in exchange for an unbiased review.

FISH BOY is a retelling of an Inuit folk tale that, along the way, teaches many lessons to young readers; particularly lessons about treating strangers, hospitality, and that just because someone is differently-abled doesn't mean they cannot help in any way. The illustrations are engaging for children slightly older (6-9/3rd to 5th grade), and there is an awesome glossary towards the end for continued learning.

It's important to include that I had already decided on my five-star rating BEFORE finding out the following detail, but 10% of all proceeds from the book are going to the Oak Clinic for Multiple Sclerosis. Those who follow me on social media already know that MS has become the defining force in our life since my diagnosis 2 years ago, so this definitely gives me a reason to say we'll be buying a *few* copies to give as gifts next year when the book is released, and I hope others will, too.

I read and reviewed another book from this publisher, which was also an Inuit legend. This one had much more narrative and had a truly fascinating story of fish boy. I spent quite a bit of time studying the illustrations. They are colorful and beautifully detailed. Another great book to expose children to a different culture.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley, for the complimentary copy.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this story.
I really enjoyed this retelling of Fish-Boy. It is so important to share these stories so they don't become lost to time. The illustrations were lovely and really enhanced the story. I also appreciated the glossary of terms included- very important for young readers!

Definitely one to read aloud and share with the family!

Things we need more of in the world:
—folk tales for children
—stories from indigenous peoples
—books that remind us that we’re all capable of more than we realize
—books with kind elderly souls teaching sweet younger ones :)

This stories has it all and I’m happier having read it.

A wise old Inuit relates the tale of Fish-Boy, a magical folk tale that explains why so many sea parrots (also known as puffins) nest on Ignaluk, a great rock in the Arctic region of North America. When the hunter Kitmesuk went out to fish one day, he discovered Fish-Boy instead: an armless boy with a fish body, lonely, and looking for a father. When the two travel to another village on a chief's invitation, the villagers' behavior toward them is awful - rude and combative. Fish-Boy uses magic to turn men that would harm them into sea-parrots, thus providing a strong message about being a good host.

The art allows for readers to interact with the story; the narration, plus point of view artwork, makes the reader feel like he or she is sitting around the fire, listening to the wise man tell his tale. There are bright colors, strong faces, and images that blend together, almost dreamlike, lending an imaginative feel to the story. There is a section with new words for readers, teaching points, and biographies on the author and illustrator. The endpapers provide maps of the Arctic region, helping place readers in the course of events.

I love a good folktale, and I want to get more First Nations books in my collection. This one is a definite add to my shelves. It's good for an older reader storytime, and it's great to display and booktalk when kids have to do projects on Native Americans - show the diversity of stories within the Nations, and introduce them to fiction as well as non-fiction so we foster discovery.

How does one review a book written for ages six to nine years old? It is tricky. Fish-Boy: An Inuit Folk Tale is a beautiful book. It is well written. The illustrations are gorgeous!

Thank you Netgalley and Vanita Books for giving me a digital copy for review. I am rating this book Four Stars because it is a little wordy at times. The younger side of the age demographic it was written for may have issues with that and lose interest. I would recommend this book.

InkedBookDragon

The Inuits have always been fascinating for their lifestyle and amazing folk tales. Fishboy is an interesting story about a mysterious and magical young boy who is confident and friendly. His story is narrated to a little boy by his father during a trip. Beautifully illustrated and well-written. If you enjoy mythical folktales, this one is definitely a good read!

The illustrations in this book are outstanding and the story is engaging. A sweet tale explaining the large puffin population that a family happens upon. I like the foreshadowing of each new character with the use of a small portrait. There is also purposeful use of Yupik language and vocabulary. Fish-Boy adds a layer of understanding to a culture that is not well known to most young readers. The only detraction for me is that it is quite text heavy making it less likely to be an independently read book, but will work great as a read aloud.

Fish-Boy is an Inuit tale told by an elder to youth while on a trade route to exchange deer hides for white bear hides. The story is about a fisherman who while out fishing finds a boy who has no arms and is part fish. The boy helps him fish and they are famous in their village and beyond. When they start to leave their village they are blamed for bad things happening and then even shunned. The story has a few lessons that it tells, to be hospitable, to value elders, to practice kindness and be inclusive and overall to be respectful. I think these are all good values for youth books to have and this book was a wonderful example.

Along with this magnificent folk tale, there are stunning illustrations that go along with it. The are bright and in a watercolor-esq style that is perfect for this tale and they really are breathtaking. I think they fit perfectly.

Overall I thought this was a great book and it was a folk tale that I was not familiar with. I love learning about other cultures and this book helps with that as well.

Review on Cover2CoverBlog will release closer to release date.

An interesting tale - with an amusing ending. Well, at least I thought so.

The art was perfect for the story. I think this would capture the imagination of a child in early elementary school. Too bad my kids are now a bit older than this.

I love the encouragement at the end to tell a story. We forget how important stories are.

And at the end there is also a good section of definitions of words that were in the book. And there are some good teaching points on a different number of issues covered - if you didn’t think about them while reading.

<i>Thanks to NetGalley and Vanita Books for a copy in return for an honest review.</i>

What a beautiful book about a tale of the Inuit. The illustrations alone makes this book worth-while. It is always interesting to read lore from other cultural regions.

This is a beautifully ilustrated book for children. Fish-Boy retells an old inuit folk tale. on how to treat others. and deal with strangers.This is also a great way to meet and get to know a different culture as the inuits' is for me. Really nice.

A masterfully illustrated tale of Arctic peoples and their superstitions. Fish Boy sea creature with no arms asks a fisherman to be his dad. Fisherman accepts and the two travel to inhospitable people. In the end, magic saves the day. Although we loved the illustrations, we'll pass on this one.

A beautifully illustrated Inuit tale for children with a nice parable embedded into the story. A wonderful book about how to treat others, especially visitors, or the theme of hospitality. Gorgeous artwork and an interesting way to explore a different culture.

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Fish-Boy retells an old inuit folk tale. First, the artwork of this book was stunning; Mike Blanc's illustrations perfectly captured the story. I also loved that this book is so diverse; it's always a pleasure to see authors branching out and being more inclusive - especially in books for children. However, I do think this would be better marketed towards an older audience (maybe 8+?) since the story might be too difficult to follow for younger children - though they will still enjoy the illustrations. Bonus points for the section at the end that introduces new words for young readers (and for me since I did not know what an umiak was) and teaching points for readers that would be very beneficial in classroom settings!

Fish-Boy is an Inuit Folktale told as a story-within-a-story. A young boy listens to one of his elders tell the story of how there came to be so many sea-parrots (Atlantic Puffins) near the water that surrounds the islands. It is also the story of fish-boy, his adopted father and the villagers that treated them badly. As folktales usually do, there is a moral to this story about hospitality and treating strangers kindly. The story is well told in the oral storytelling way, but the illustrations are what really sold me on this book. Mike Blanc uses bright colours in a smudged way. The backgrounds showed the Arctic landscape and the expressions on the face of fish-boy shared a lot of emotion. The glossary and teaching points at the back of the book make it a great choice to use when teaching a lesson on fables and folktales as well as multi-cultural aspect and positive character traits (hospitality, elder treatment, kindness, acceptance of differently abled people etc.) This book is geared to older children (ages 8 and up) and would make a great addition to a school, class or public library.

Firstly, thank you for the ARC. I have mixed feelings about this book. I loved the art style. It works very well to complement the setting and works at bringing some whimsy to the story. I also really enjoy highlighting the oral traditions and the story being told in a story is a nice way to show that. I find it sad that Fish-Boy doesn't have a name other than Fish-Boy. You would think that a magical and special character would have an identity. I also believe that the story is too wordy for younger students but would work well as a teaching aid.

An, enchantingly-illustrated Inuit folktale, Fish-Boy, retold by Vanita Oelshlager and illustrated by Mike Blanc, is well-worth a second read.

Fish-Boy is told as a story-within-a-story. A young boy listens to one of his elders tell the story of how there came to be so many sea-parrots near the water that surrounds the islands. Oelshlager writes the language in a way that echoes the oral tradition. However, the star of this book is the art by Mike Blanc. Bright colors, soft patterns, and visually exciting composition make them stand out and capture readers and listeners alike.

This book would be at home in any library with a large folktale collection, especially those looking to diversify their collection.