Cover Image: The Most Amazing Bird

The Most Amazing Bird

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Member Reviews

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This book was okay, a bit wordy, and for older kids.

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I did not like this book very much. I expected it to be in more languages than just English, but there are a lot of words that are not defined, and for a kids book, it seems quite long. The pictures are really well done though.

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This is such a sweet book that provides much needed representation in indigenous children’s literature in Canada. I could see this book at libraries and schools across Canada, and lined up on kids’ bookshelves at home. It’s sweet and simple, but it teaches big lessons about appreciation for nature and the natural world.

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Aggataa is spending the winter with her grandma. When she is outside, she sees ugly black birds. She doesn't like them. When she returns to Grandma’s home, Aggataa tells her that she saw the ugliest black birds. One of the birds follow Aggataa to Grandma’s house. Grandma has Aggataa feed the little ugly bird. The little ugly lack bird waits everyday for its food.. one day it disappears. Spring has come, then summer, Aggataa wonders if she will ever see the little ugly black bird again. Will she? Why does she miss the bird?

This is a lovely illustrated book with an excellent story. The author did an outstanding job of writing it. I was glad to see that the ugly black birds were ravens. Ravens are often misunderstood and not appreciated. The story does involve the different birds as the seasons change giving Aggataa an understanding of nature and it’s beauty. This story also gives the lesson of not judging something from the way it looks. This is a delightful book.

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I requested and received this book from Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak and Annick Press Ltd. through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I agree, Raven’s are the most amazing bird! I love that this book is introducing so many different birds and their Inuk names to children. I also love that you could hear how some Inuk words are pronounced if you got to the authors website.

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The Most Amazing Bird is a beautiful new Own Voices picture book put out by Annick Press. It follows a year of seasons through birds, a young girl, and one very special bird.

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Aggataa discovers an ugly bird on her cold winter walk—its black and doesn’t seem to fit in its dull-black feather suit. She questions her grandmother about the bird and discovers the raven has befriended her grandmother.

As the seasons change, so does the bird. But it disappears when the weather turns beautiful and all the other birds come home to raise their young. She wonders if she’ll ever see her grandmother’s friend again.

This delightful story uses the beauty and habits of birds to tell the story of an Inuk family living in the Northwest Territory in Canada. I love how it uses the universality of birds to introduce characters and their way of life to readers who may have no concept of other people groups may live.

I already bought a copy for my grandson (who lives in Alaska), and I’ll order one for our school library as well. Librarians, teachers, and parents won’t want to miss this beautiful story.

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Inuit writer Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak and Inuit illustrator, Andrew Qappik, join forces to birth a beautiful new picture book to enjoy.

Aggataa and her grandmother go for a cold winter walk and she discovers the tulugarguat, the ravens, have not gone south but remain in the cold Arctic. She thinks that these birds are the ugliest birds ever. She says that they look like they have slept in their coats-- coats that don't even fit! Yuk!

As time passes and Spring is on the horizon Aggataa connects with a young raven and her attitude towards the species changes dramatically. A variety of birds make an appearance and she finds herself waiting for the return of her most amazing bird ... her raven.

The illustrations enrich the text and celebrate the heartwarming message that nature is a wonderful gift that we can connect to and relish. I highly recommend this book.

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The Most Amazing Bird by Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak, illustrated by Andrew Qappik, is a lovely picture book. From an Inuit writer and illustrator, we get to see the story of a young girl named Aggataa and her grandmother as they watch the birds outside their Arctic home. For a full year, we see a touching story unfold as we follow how Aggataa comes to love and appreciate the ravens in her northern community, especially in the winter when the sky is absent of other birds. The story is sweet, the illustrations are simple and lovely, and overall, it makes for a lovely read. I've read a little of Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak's work in the past, and his storytelling style continues to bring me a great deal of enjoyment.

I would recommend this book for any child, but especially children who are interested in birds in any way.

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The Most Amazing Bird is a picture book by an Inuit storyteller and an Inuit illustrator. In this book, a young girl named Aggataa makes the trek each morning to her grandmother's house. While walking in the snow with her grandmother Aggataa points at a black bird and asks about it. Her grandmother tells her it is a raven and Aggataa declares it ugly. But, slowly over the course of the winter season, Aggataa develops a fondness for the bird. When the bird flies away in the spring, Aggataa notices other birds that show up for the warmer season.

This was a nice little story about a young girl learning to appreciate birds and nature. There are lots of illustrations of the various birds and you learn a bit about each of them in the story. We hear about the sounds they make, how they move, and other observations from Aggataa's point of view. It is refreshing to see a story from an Inuit perspective.

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This is a sweet and informative book about birds from an Inuit author and illustrator team. Learning about migratory patterns and new words was mixed in with a bit of an ugly duckling type tale featuring a raven. We don’t have nearly enough books for young readers from Inuit voices and I hope this team brings many more.

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The Most Amazing Bird is the story of a granddaughter, Aggataa, and her grandmother who observe birds in their surroundings. While at first, Aggataa strongly dislikes the raven, she is slowly won over by this 'most amazing' bird.
While I love the introduction to the Yupik culture, the connection to nature and the relationship between grandchild and grandmother, I felt the main character did not come across as very likeable, especially in the beginning when she yells at the raven, calling it an ugly bird. If only she was more likeable, the story could be one to read many times over, as a picture book ought to be. My actual rating is 3.5.

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The most amazing bird is about a little girl named Aggataa who hates the ugly birds. Soon she bonds with one in particular, and builds a relationship with him. Its a great book to learn about various bird species and get a glimpse at the Inuk culture with the inclusion of their language.

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