The Owl and the Two Rabbits

read by Nadia Sammurtok & Roselynn Akulukjuk, illustrated by Marcus Cutler

tagged: survival stories, rabbits, polar regions, birds

Description

When two rabbit sisters ignore their parents' warnings and decide to play outside on the open tundra, a hungry owl soon spots them and decides they will make a delicious meal. As a chase ensues, the sisters must act quickly, using the owl's own greed against him in order to get away.

A traditional Inuit story and cautionary tale, this book presents a centuries-old narrative for a new generation of readers.

About the Authors

Nadia Sammurtok is an Inuit writer and educator originally from Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. Nadia is passionate about preserving the traditional Inuit lifestyle and Inuktitut language so that they may be enjoyed by future generations. Nadia currently lives in Iqaluit, Nunavut, with her family.

Marcus Cutler is both a children's illustrator and an occasional climber of rocks. He lives in Windsor, Ontario, with his wife and two daughters.

Roselynn Akulukjuk was raised in Pangnirtung, Nunavut. In 2012, Roselynn moved to Toronto to pursue a career in film and attended the Toronto Film School, where she fell in love with being behind the camera. Roselynn’s short film The Owl and the Lemming was adapted to a children’s book of the same name in 2016. The book has been nominated for 2018 Blue Spruce Award and the 2017 Shining Willow Award and was included on the Cooperative Children’s Book Centre’s Best-of-2017 list.

Age:: 3 to 5
Grade:: 2
Reading age:: 7 to 8

Editorial Reviews

The beauty of the landscape is captured in Cutler’s watercolor cartoon illustrations, with glowing orange-yellow sunset backgrounds. Inuk writer Sammurtok’s creative retelling brims with suspenseful pacing.

Illustrator Marcus Cutler weaves colorful, vibrant illustrations all throughout the inviting text of this story...This meaningful picture book is perfect to add to any school library or early elementary school classroom.

"Inuk writer Nadia Sammurtok’s delightful new take on a traditional Inuit story from the Kivalliq region of Nunavut has wonderfully rambunctious illustrations by Marcus Cutler. When two little rabbit sisters decide to go play on the tundra, even though they’ve been warned not to, trouble is quick to follow! They’ll make a delicious-tasting dinner for a hungry owl and his wife unless they can find a way to escape. How they manage to trick the owls will keep young readers on the edge of their seats in this engagingly suspenseful story."

The dark nature of the tale is mitigated by the style of illustration: Bright pastel colors cover each page, and the soft features of the owl and pink-eared rabbits alleviate some of the tension in the life-and-death struggle.This traditional Inuit story from Nunavut teaches children the importance of parental guidance—with a dash of excitement.

The Owl and the Two Rabbits is an entertaining tale that will not only engage readers, but it will also indirectly teach them about Inuit culture as this story is a take on a traditional Inuit legend.

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