Ava and the Little Folk by Neil Christopher (review)

Shunned by the others in his Inuit village, orphaned boy Ava is surprised to find himself warmly welcomed by the Inugarulligaarjuit, the magical little people he meets one day in the Arctic wilderness. They invite him to stay, but Ava knows, sadly, that he’s much too big to fit through the door of their home. A group hunting trip leads to an eventual change of perspective for Ava, and he finds that after “learning to see things in new ways” he can in fact fit into the rock house, and he is happily adopted by a kind Inugarulligaarjuit family. The storytelling here is carefully polished and thoroughly engaging, and the glimpse into Inuit life and folklore is fascinating. Orphaned and mistreated Ava is a sympathetic figure, and there is great satisfaction in seeing him find a loving home with the magical, warm-hearted little people, who are clearly kin to the Western version of elves and leprechauns. While small print may make this a challenge to share with a group, Wright’s watercolor illustrations will engage viewers: pale browns and grays contrast with lots of white space to effectively capture the windy cold of the icy white Arctic setting, and the ruddy-nosed, stylized figures of Ava and the Inugarulligaarjuit are detailed and expressive. An introduction by Christopher gives some folkloric background for the story, and a list of character names (with meanings and pronunciations) and a glossary are also provided.