Janine Gibbons

Beautifully illustrated telling of an ancient Haida story. A young hunter successfully catches a sea otter but forgets to show gratitude. When his wife is later carried off by killer whales he must go on a journey to the bottom of the ocean to save her, with the help of some new friends he makes on his way. The cultural and geographical specificity is what really stands out about this book--characters like the otter, the marten, the swallow, the crane, and crucial resources for the journey like the dried fish, devil's club root, deerskin lashing and cedar bark rope and canoe. Themes include gratitude, kindness, and interconnectedness between living things.… (más)

When Nanasimgit catches an otter in this picture-book retelling of a traditional Haida tale, he neglects to give thanks to the otter for giving its life. Shortly thereafter his wife, Ḵ'uljáad, is taken by killer whales, who bring her to their house under the ocean. Setting out in pursuit, Nanasimgit is aided by Swallow and Marten above water, and by the geese, heron and woodcutter he helps, underwater. Eventually he escapes with Ḵ'uljáad, and the pair head for land, pursued by the killer whales...

The Woman Carried Away by Killer Whales: A Haida Story is the first book I have read that is illustrated by talented Haida artist Janine Gibbons, but I hope it will not be my last. The story itself, which is not credited on the title page, appears to be a children's adaptation of a longer, more adult story taken from the oral tradition. Two names - Cika Sparck and Benjamin Young - are listed on the colophon as "contributors," so perhaps it is they who wrote this one. In any case, the story is engaging, and seems to present two main ideas - that it is unwise to take from nature without showing the proper respect and gratitude, and that kindness to others will be rewarded in times of need - both of which strike me as valuable lessons to learn. The artwork is beautiful, done in a very distinctive folk style that I found mesmerizing. Some of the scenes had the look almost of stained glass, both in terms of the kind of segmented, almost panel-like structure that they had, and in the way that light seemed to be shining through them. This is the third children's book I have read from the Juneau-based Sealaska Heritage Institute, a Native non-profit intended to highlight and promote the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of southeast coastal Alaska, and I hope to track down more. Recommended to young folklore enthusiasts, and to picture-book readers looking for titles with a Native Alaskan/Haidi cultural background.… (más)