About BC Books Online
BC Books Online was created for anyone interested in BC-published books, and with librarians especially in mind. We'd like to make it easy for library staff to learn about books from BC publishers - both new releases and backlist titles - so you can inform your patrons and keep your collections up to date.
Our site features print books and ebooks - both new releases and backlist titles - all of which are available to order through regular trade channels. Browse our subject categories to find books of interest or create and export lists by category to cross-reference with your library's current collection.
A quick tip: When reviewing the "Browse by Category" listings, please note that these are based on standardized BISAC Subject Codes supplied by the books' publishers. You will find additional selections, grouped by theme or region, in our "BC Reading Lists."
Description
Noah Thorpe is spending the school term in Kangiqsualujjuaq, in Quebec's Far North, where his dad is an English teacher in the Inuit community.
Noah's not too keen about living in the middle of nowhere, but getting away from Montréal has one big advantage: he gets a break from the bully at his old school. But Noah learns that problems have a way of following you—no matter how far you travel. To the Inuit kids, Noah is a qallunaaq—a southerner, someone ignorant of the customs of the North. Noah thinks the Inuit have a strange way of looking at the world, plus they eat raw meat and seal blubber. Most have never left the George River area—and it doesn't even have its own doctor, let alone a McDonald's.
But Noah's views change when he goes winter camping and realizes he will have to learn a few lessons from his Inuit buddies if he wants to make it home.
Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels
- Age:
- 12 to 18
- Grade:
- 8 to 12
- Reading age:
- 12 to 18
Awards
- Short-listed, Quebec Writers' Federation (QWF) Literary Awards - Janet Savage Blachford Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature
- Commended, Resource Links, The Year's Best Books
Editorial Reviews
"The harsh living conditions and culture of the Inuit abound. Yet, the actions, thoughts, and fears portrayed are of any typical 15-year-old boy who finds himself in an atypical setting…The commotion (storms, polar bears, and tragedy at camp) keeps our attention."
— Booklist
"The story eloquently addresses coming of age, understanding different cultures, and the values of a young teen as he spends time with his father in a predominately Inuit culture."
— Tacoma School District #10
"Noah's greatest adventure is discovering that the middle of nowhere can be the beginning of something new."
— The ALAN Review
"A great deal of information about daily life and Inuit culture is packed into the recounting of a few days in the community. Beer, bullying and a hint of romance keep the first-person narrative in the typical 15-year-old realm. The conditions of life are harsh but not impossible, and the gradual rapprochement between Noah and his dad adds a nice counterpoint to Noah's reaction to this exotic world into which he not only arrives but that he discovers he admires."
— Kirkus Reviews
"Useful for its discussion of Canada's Inuit culture and the history of oppression that accompanies it, as well as the effect of climate change on northern life. I highly recommend this book; it is engaging, entertaining and a pleasure to read."
— CM Magazine
"The survival-adventure details will engage reluctant readers [and] the story has elements of romance when Noah strives to impress an Inuit classmate…Add this to survival/adventure collections."
— School Library Journal
"A powerful novel that blends the emotional insecurities of young teenage boys with their need to be strong...Polak delivers her tale with a simplicity and realism that brings the readers into the northern world."
— Resource Links
"A well-crafted, revealing look at Inuit culture…A memorable book - a very worthwhile and important read for youth who are open to learning about the lived experiences of others with much to teach."
— Canadian Children's Book News
