The little Eskimo is a curious youngster: will he become a great hunter when he grows up, and what exists on the other side of the Great Ice Lake? Determined to find answers, he asks a hare, a fox, a walrus and a whale, until he is sent to visit Death, who knows everything.

Death is very gentle (this is a children’s picture book, after all) with some wise words about the future. The illustrations are rich in blues and whites, beautifully evoking an otherworldly landscape. Some of the meaning may go over young readers’ heads, but they will enjoy the story.

The Little Eskimo is a beautiful parable about identity and becoming in an exotic Arctic setting. For readers ages 4 and up.

Angela Crocombe