3.5 stars I was very interested in reading this book because of the subject matter. I can't recall ever having the opportunity to read more about Inuit culture in school (or outside) and so I jumped at the chance. The artwork for this book was incredibly beautiful and really brought the story to life. I loved reading about the mythology, however, the framing of the myth inside of the little boy's trip felt clunky to me. Also, it was a bit hard to tell what age group this is meant for as it had lovely illustrations, but also quite a bit of text. Overall this was utterly unique and I hope we get more like this.

I read "Inuit Folk Tale" and that's all I needed to know.
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This is a story about why there are so many sea-parrots (puffins) on St. Lawrence Island, told in the book by the old storyteller Teragloona. But it's also a story about acceptance, love, and not treating people with differences as oddities.
I found the story sweet but not sappy, instructive but not lecturing.
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I'd recommend this for older elementary readers. I use my nephew, who's 7, as a measure for both attention span and comprehension, and this is a little above his level.
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The author includes a glossary for unfamiliar words and phrases, as well as ideas for teaching and potential assignments to build off the reading. In addition, 10% of the proceeds for sales of this book will go to Oak Clinic for Multiple Sclerosis.
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Overall, even if I didn't like the story (which I do), I'll still buy this book because of its extras, and I'll be looking for more Vanita Books for the same reason.
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I received this book as a digital arc from NetGalley.

This wonderful folk tale teaches about Inuit culture. And, explains why sea parrots became so numerous around the stony islands of the far North. A lame Inuit fisherman is fishing when he see something unusual in the water that has a head like a young man and feet behind its tail, speaking to fisherman, "Do not spear me. I am not a fish. I am Fish-Boy." The lame fisherman becomes Fish-Boy's father and together they help us learn of this tale which includes lessons in kindness and tolerance..

This was a tale I had never heard of. It is a lovely one to use for children in helping them to learn about other cultures. The artwork is beautiful and would help in teaching about hospitality and kindness.

Rating: 4.5 OUT OF 5 STARS 🌟🌟🌟🌟


MY REVIEW:

I have always been fascinated by folk-tales and those told by Aboriginal or Inuit storytellers are some of the very best.

 There were two main reasons that traditional Inuit stories were told. Firstly, stories were used to explain the world around them, and secondly, they were used to teach traditional values to the next generation.

The cover of this book is so beautifully illustrated that I was immediately drawn to it. I believe that children will be drawn to it as well. In fact, the illustration of the boy with the puffin on his head brings to mind Disney illustrations. Mike Blanc is obviously a very talented individual.

FISH-BOY is the story of "... why there are so many sea-parrots on the stony islands of the far North." It is the story of a lame Inuit fisherman who one day saw a fish that was unlike anything he had seen before. "It appeared] to have a head like a man and feet behind its tail." To the fisherman's surprise, the fish spoke to him saying, "Do not spear me. I am not a fish. I am Fish-Boy ... I have no parents, and I am very lonely. I want you to be my father."

The fisherman was lame, but he had found a way to survive. He wasn't sure what use an armless Fish-Boy would be, but out of kindness, he took him in and Fish-Boy became his son.

This act of kindness changed both their lives for the better and the pair had amazing adventures.

You will need to read this book to discover exactly what adventures they had, what trials and tribulations they faced and to discover how their story finally reveals the reason that there are so many sea-parrots on the stony islands today. I promise that this is a story worth reading.

I love that this book not only tells the story of Fish-Boy, but also includes details of traditional Inuit life. Also included at the back of the book are definitions of some of the story's less commonly known words.

In addition to being a fantastic story, another wonderful thing about not only this book, but all books published by Vanita Books is that they donate ALL net profits to "charities where people help people help themselves." Ten percent of the net profits for FISH-BOY will be donated to The Oak Clinic for Multiple Sclerosis, the other ninety percent will go to other charities.

I rate this book as 4.5 out of 5 Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

* Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free ARC (Advance Review Copy) of this book.

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What a beautiful, magical story with stunning illustrations!

Fast read. I really liked the illustrations. I personally enjoy myths and stories from around the world so it was interesting to read this one.

The illustrations in this book are breathtaking, and really helped to make the story engaging. I would use this book in my grade 7/8 classroom in talking about folk tales and also as an example of beautiful picture book illustration.

Engaging pictures move this story along. I would use it as part of a unit on Native Americans. It would be interesting to compare and contrast Fish-Boy with other folktales.

Beautifully illustrated Innuit folktale tells of a man you adopts an armless fish boy. The illustrations elevate the story off the pages.

4 helms

Please follow me on my blog :) Review originally posted on Vellum Voyages
(www.vellumvoyages.com)

Cute little Inuit story by Vanita Oelschlager. Never really heard of this author but thought it would be interesting to request the book on NetGalley. Glad I did as I discovered a new author and Vanita Books (Vanita’s publishing house) donates 100% of its proceeds to The Oak Clinic for Multiple Sclerosis which is such a generous and worthy cause!

Fish-Boy is a children’s book, told in a style of an Inuit folklore tale (unsure if this folk tale is a real one or not?) which brings up themes of friendship, kindness and hospitality. Great as a bedtime story for the kids or as a great teaching tool for teachers. A nice storyline with important and strong morals and values. There are discussion points towards the end of the book too which are great as reminders to discuss the story with the kids. Beautiful illustrations with bold and striking colours which are easy on the eyes and a pleasure to look at. Lovely hand drawn maps of the Diomedes Islands and St. Lawrence Island is also included to showcase the land of the Inuits.

Having travelled to Finnish Lapland earlier on this year, my husband and I got a chance to learn a little about the Sami people (indigenous Finno-Ugric people) and their culture. We were also lucky enough to catch Arctic Odyssey at the Finland National Theatre, a combination of cross-border artists from different parts of the Arctic region who banded together to reflect and share their experiences and memories. A combination of Inuit masked dance, Arctic songs, modern Sami poetry and Chukchi myths brought awareness of such fragile cultures to the interest of adults.

Luckily for the kids they don’t have to wait long to be educated about the Inuits, as Vanita brings a part of the Arctic north into your children’s world through this story raising awareness of the Inuit people and their folklore combined with important strong themes to make this book a must-have in your children’s library.

*Thank-you Vanita Oelschlager, Netgalley & Vanita Books for the ARC.

This is a folklore about a fish boy. I have not read many folklore and I did find some of this to be confusing; maybe because I do not understand the history behind the story. I am not sure what age range this is marketed for, but it was listed in the children's section. There were parts that were written really well and I enjoyed them, but other parts that felt too wordy.

The artwork was so beautiful.

The illustrations in this story are absolutely unreal! My little guy and I loved all the colorful pages and beautiful illustrations. The story itself was lovely, perfect for early school age children. I LOVED the definitions at the end. We read it through multiple times after reading the glossary and held an even greater appreciation for it's depth. A gorgeous peek into Inuit culture and storytelling.

This is my first time to read an Inuit folk tale. Even though the story is quite long for a children's story book, I think kids will surely enjoy reading this because of how wonderful the story and the illustrations are. If ever this will be sold here in our local bookstores in our country, I would definitely get one and give this as a present to my niece.

I beautifully illustrated Inuit folk tale. The inclusion of a glossary and teaching topics at the end Make it a great teaching tool! Would be an asset to any school library or addition to core teaching resources.

This story is long but interesting. I think it would make a better vocal tale than it does a book, but the illustrator did an amazing job. There are lots of unfamiliar words, but there is a section in the back explaining them all. While just on story, it’s not my favorite, it is a great way to learn about another culture.

I can’t wait for this book to print! I don’t care that I will be buying it new, and in hardback, but this baby is going into my school library collection as soon as possible because it is so dang good. It might seem a little text heavy to those who are used to picture books, but when it comes to folktales, the text embodies oral traditions while the illustrations spark the imagination and set the tone. I am absolutely in love with the story within a story, and also how Fish-Boy explores not only the origin of the ‘sea-parrots’ but also the origin of Fish-Boy’s family.

True to Oelschlager’s roots, Fish-Boy reflects themes surrounding growing up, conflict resolution, the treatment of others, difference, and adoptive families. The orality of the book makes it perfect for reading out loud, and as such, also serves as a wonderful medium through which to start these conversations with children either one-on-one or in a group setting. It is so hard to do oral stories justice in writing, and this Oelschlager’s retelling breathes in life, details, and action that are too often lost as folktales are translated to the page. This book is incredible and that the value of it’s lessons should not be overlooked. I was caught up in it’s magic, and I am sure that I will read it many, many more times in the years to come.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely! And as an added bonus it aligns with our elementary school curriculum in many Canadian provinces. Not only is it a beautifully written and illustrated book, but it would make an excellent teaching/ library resource as well. Whether you are buying this book for your family, your library, or your school – you won’t be disappointed.

Fish-Boy is an Inuit folk tale told by Vanita Oelschlager. It's a wonderful book in which the story of Fish-Boy is told to a young child by Teragloona, a wise old Inuit man. Fish-Boy is the origin story that explains why there are so many sea-parrots (Atlantic puffins) on the stony islands of the far north. This is a story of fathers and sons, kindness and rejection, hospitality to guests, friendship and some magic.

I loved the story and found the glossary very helpful and well written. The illustrations by Mike Blanc are what initially grabbed my interest in this book and are absolutely brilliant. I loved the people, the backgrounds, the use of colour, and the way they immerse you in the story.

I adore the tradition of teaching origin stories to each generation by the elders in so many Indigenous cultures. I've had a huge interest in learning about Indigenous cultures, their traditions and stories since I was a child. I had a computer program called 500 Nations with audio by Kevin Costner and I'd lose all concept of time as I explored the richness of cultures I knew nothing about. This book has really whet my appetite again and I want to learn more about the culture of the Inuit people.

I received an ARC from NetGalley (thank you so much to NetGalley and Vanita Books for the opportunity) in exchange for honest feedback. I hope to see more books retelling other Inuit folk tales by Vanita and Mike.

What wonderful illustrations, they really pulled you in to this Inuit Folk tale. The culture and how small minded people can be no matter where. A great lesson to be learned of respect, Thank you netgalley for this reading opportunity.