On the Shoulder of a Giant

Gr 1–4—In this folktale, Inukpak is a large giant who comes across a human hunter and believes he is a child. The giant picks up the hunter and adopts him, carrying him far away from his home. The friendly giant cares for the hunter, feeding him a fish, which is really a whale, and making a shelter for his new companion in his boot. The hunter is perplexed as to why the giant thinks the bowhead whale is just a small sculpin. The hunter knows he will not be able to escape and soon accepts his fate and becomes friends with the giant. The giant is so large he does not notice an approaching polar bear. Finally he saves the hunter by flinging the bear into the sea. The illustrations are full of detail, especially in the kindly giant's facial expressions. The muted colors match the tone of the story and the setting of the frozen tundra. There is an introduction about stories from the Arctic and more information in the back of the book specifically about the Arctic giant legends.