Book: Tuktuk: Tundra Tale Author: Robin Currie Illustrator: Phyllis Saroff Publisher: Arbordale Publishing Date: August 25, 2016 Genre: picture book; age 8-12, gr K-3 Pages: 32 Price: $17.95 My rating: educational entertaining story with life-like illustrations
Tuktuk: Tundra Tale by Robin Currie is educational in disguise, and children will love the accurate illustrations by Phyllis Saroff.
This story is set in the Arctic, “at the top of the world”, and on the first double spread we see an Inuit driver controlling his dog sled over the snow and ice. What we also see, that he does not, is one of his waterproof boots – a kamik – fall off the sled and land right beside a furry little animal named Tuktuk. Tuktuk is a collard lemming and he decides the kamik with its warm fur will be just right to help keep him warm as the colder weather of winter sets in.
As Tuktuk is dragging the kamik the long way to his burrow, Putak the polar bear sees it and wants it. Tuktuk knows he can’t win against a polar bear so he comes up with a silly idea, convincing the bear the kamik is for his nose. The bear tries it on his nose but it makes him sneeze so ambles away without the boot.
Using the rule of threes, Robin Currie brings two more animals who try to take the kamik from Tuktuk. Tuktuk has silly ideas for each of them and they leave without his find.
The rich, bold illustrations are amazing in Tuktuk: Tundra Tale. Each page is a feast for the eyes and adds great detail to the description in the story of the northern clime. “Polaris appeared in the expanding night sky …” “The Northern Lights shone …”
In the back of the book is a section (that can be photocopied or printed from the website for educational use) called For Creative Minds, in which the reader will find very interesting information – Polar Seasons, Arctic Skies, Arctic Vocabulary, Life in the Cold: Animal Fun Facts – with illustrations from the book coinciding with the information. Beautifully done!
Tuktuk: Tundra Tale by Robin Currie is a book to treasure, both for its amusing adventure of a clever collard lemming and for the information revealed in its fabulous illustrations by Phyllis Saroff. Readers will discover more details with each read through.
You can find Tuktuk: Tundra Tale by Robin Currie on my BUY THE BOOK page. I also post my reviews on Goodreads, and when available on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Chapters.Indigo.
Your comments are greatly appreciated by authors, illustrators, and this blogger. ♥
Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂
Polilla Writes 
Sounds like a great book about the Arctic. You do find the most amazing books.
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I’m blessed to be in touch with many picture book writers and I get a lot of recommendations from them. This particular one was written by a member of the 12×12 writing group of which I’m also a member. You’ll see my 12×12 books reviews listed in my drop down menu.
Thanks, Darlene, for your continued interest in my blog.
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