Fascinating tale. It's difficult to be a child who doesn't fit into their family or community. The different are often time bullied or ignored. So disappointing that no adult stands up for the child. Huuq finally runs away with this dog and gets lost in the wilderness, only to encounter a creature who turns him into a monster. he returns to his village, but only gets more trouble. Being the odd person out in society has major implications, as this story points out. Sad. Nothing changes without the one square peg. I never could figure out why society fears the other so much....great story for teens and adults.

<em>Why the Monster</em> is an absolutely phenomenal book.

Sean and Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley have written a book for young readers that captures the mythology or legend of the Inuit people and also understands the concerns and fears of a child - being preyed upon by bullies, being uncomfortable trying to live up to an adults expectations, being awkward or shy or in some other way not fitting in, being alone....

Huuq is an Inuit boy who feels like an outsider. He and his dog, Qipik, wander off, alone and come upon a strange egg. Breaking this egg sets off a series of events, frightening and well beyond Huuq's control. Huuq, bit by bit, turns into a strange half-human, half-monstrous creature.

When the transformation first begins Huuq returns to his village to seek comfort with his family. On his way he runs into the bullies who torment him and he sees the opportunity to get back at them now that he's changed but once he begins to frighten the villagers they no longer see Huuq, they only see a monster and they try to run him off and kill him. It is only in his pleading eyes to his parents that they recognize him and they prevent the other villagers from killing him. But Huuq knows that it would be impossible for him to ever live in the village again and so he regretfully leaves his family and everything he knows to wander the frozen wilderness.

During his wandering journey he looks for answers from the "Its" - the supernatural creatures that turned him into the monster he's become. He also discovers that being big, strong, and terrifying doesn't make life any easier for him.

I am really so impressed at how beautifully the book captures the fears of a youngster (about middle school age) and while hyper-relevant to the Inuit people, this story easily resonates with any child with an open imagination. The concerns of children are pretty universal and addressing it with a community-identifiable mythology is absolutely brilliant. It can only broaden the appreciation for the Inuit life and philosophy - which I think is a very good thing.

This is the second book I've read by Rachel and Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley and I'm so very impressed. I wish their books had been available when my children were younger, but how very fortunate this is available now!

Looking for a good book? <em>Why the Monster</em> by Sean and Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley is a tremendous coming-of-age story set among the Inuit but with a deeply rooted story that will appeal to readers everywhere.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This book drew me in from page one. It follows Huug, a misfit who is bullied so much that he runs away from home. Soon he find himself lost. After an encounter with a strange egg, he finds himself turned into a creature. He sets out to change himself back to a human. All the while, battling evil forces in a weird supernatural world.

It's a quick read and I recommend it even for adults.

This was a very well written and extremely enthralling book from beginning to end. It would make a wonderful movie that I am sure would draw a large appreciative audience.

"Why the Monster" is a full of imagination and magic. It is a story of an Inuit boy, an Inhabitant, named Huug. He lives in a remote village and is a misfit there. He is bullied constantly and even his parents seem to treat him as an outcast. He takes up thievery as a diversion but still is plagued by the fact that he is unwanted and deemed a loser.

One day after an extreme bullying encounter he takes off into the Arctic wilderness and finds himself alone and lost with his beloved dog, Qipik as his ownly companion. It is there in that barren wasteland that his life totally changes forever.

He stumbles across a curious egg which breaks open and his dog gobbles it up before she can be stopped. Three strange alien creatures appear and demand he return the egg to them. On his refusal they strip him of his visual identity, his Inhabitant form, and turn him into a monstrous half-human creature.

His world turns upside down and completely inside out. Huug goes on a dangerous quest to find out why these "Its" did this to him and how he can return to being himself once again. He gets deeply immersed in a supernatural world of evil, mystical powers, and strange creatures that want to take him out. Huug has to battle for his very life and hopefully find a pathway back home to save his village from the dark evil that has overtaken and sucked the life (literally) out of its populace for so long.

I highly recommend this book. It is targeted for a teen/ young adult market but I am positive that adults will love it too.