Chia and the Fox Man: An Alaskan Dena'ina Fable

by Barbara J. Atwater (Retold by), Ethan J. Atwater (Retold by), Mindy Dwyer (Illustrator)

Overview

A beautifully illustrated Alaska Native story of a young boy and his encounter with the fabled Fox Man, and how doing the right thing isn’t always easy but important in the end.

Life is hard for Chia. His village doesn’t have enough food and every day there are many chores to do. Chia always goes to bed hungry and tired, until one day in the middle of the night he wakes to a strange noise. He decides to investigate—and meets the legendary Fox Man. Will the Fox Man be able to help Chia and his village?

By the same team who brought you How Raven Got His Crooked Nose, this modern retelling of a traditional Dena’ina story teaches young readers that there is strength in humility and in doing what is right, especially when it’s hard. Also included is an author's note about Alaskan Dena'ina stories, plus a glossary of the Dena'ina words and their pronunciation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781513262680
Publisher:	West Margin Press
Publication date:	03/03/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	5 - 7 Years

About the Author

A retired teacher and village administrator, Barbara Jacko Atwater now writes books to carry forward the traditional stories of the Dena’ina people and share their history. She is the author of Walter's Story, about her great uncle Walter Johnson who was a respected Dena'ina elder, and with her son Ethan she wrote How Raven Got His Crooked Nose, a retelling of one of the exploits of the mythological trickster Raven. Barbara currently lives in Anchorage, Alaska.

From an early age, Ethan Jacko Atwater found his passion for storytelling and educating children on Dena’ina folklore from his time engaging with the community and working with the Cook Inlet Tribal Council. With his mother Barbara Jacko Atwater he wrote How Raven Got His Crooked Nose, a retelling of the trickster Raven and one of his misadventures. Ethan lives in Anchorage, Alaska.

Mindy Dwyer is a children's book author and illustrator and has collaborated with many people, including Barbara and Ethan Atwater on their first book, How Raven Got His Crooked Nose. She loves the possibility and adventure found in fairytales and myths, which comes across in her beautiful and whimsy art. Mindy lives in the Pacific Northwest, where she continues to dream big and wonderful stories.

Interviews

"This children’s illustrated story is a retelling of a Dena’ina fable told to us by our great uncle, Walter Johnson. When he told us this story and others, he said we were to retell it in our own way. We feel this fable is an important part of the Dena’ina lore and needs to be available to the greater public. Full of mystery, serious life drama and an important life lesson, this tale is both entertaining and intriguing."

Editorial Reviews

There are only a few books in print that include traditional Dena’ina sukdus (stories) and there were no single sukdu picture books until Barbara and Ethan Atwater began retelling the sukdus their elder and great Uncle Walter passed on to them. ‘Although sukdus were told for entertainment… they also demonstrate through parables the Dena’ina behavioral code, which governs relationships between animals and humans…and the consequences of breaking that code. Sometimes characters act the way they would act in animal form, other times they do things only someone in human form could do.’

Retold in their own words, with a more modern than traditional time setting, Chia and The Fox Man accomplishes both. The story is engaging and entertaining but also addresses the importance of telling the truth and making amends for dishonest behavior.

Throughout the pages is the opportunity to learn about the Dena’ina way of life, its culture and history. The reader learns about the hardships of being an orphan, of having to work hard to survive, and of facing hunger and harsh weather conditions. The first-person narrative by Chia is told with the flow and cadence of a native speaker. And, the narrative is also enhanced with the use of eight Dena’ina words. Each word, pronunciation and definition is also shown at the bottom of the page in which it appears and at the end of the story.

In addition to the words, you can learn a lot about the Dena’ina culture through Mindy Dwyer’s fanciful yet realistic portrayal of the environment, clothing, living conditions and subsistence activities in a traditional Dena’ina village. For example, you see the style and pattern of Chia’s parka and mittens, the drinking tube around his neck, salmon drying on a rack, the use of bow and arrow to hunt rabbit and spruce hen. The illustration on each page reveals some interesting facet of the Dena’ina way of life. It reflects the attention to detail the illustrator gleaned from the descriptive narrative and the cooperative interactions between the authors and illustrator.

Many fables and fairy tales utilize the “rule of three”. Chia and the Fox Man is no exception. Chia’s chores include carrying firewood, hauling water, and feeding dogs. Three dogs howl at the night. Chia is asked to close the house door three times. He travels across a lake, through the forest and up a mountain before encountering the Fox Man who chops away at the glacier with a tink, tink, tink.

There is a suspenseful moment before Chia snatches the Foxman’s duguli. And a somber but satisfying and positive ending when Chia acknowledges, ‘Doing the right thing isn’t always easy. But doing the right thing is always best.’ Following the sukdu is information about Alaskan Dena’ina Stories, a Dena’ina Glossary and a list of books for further reading.

Chia and the Fox Man will entertain and engage readers of all ages as a self-read or read aloud. Readers and listeners will easily gain insight into the Alaskan Dena’ina culture and hopefully be inspired to learn more about the Dena’ina way of life and speak a few Dena’ina words.

Retired School Librarian Roz Goodman

Featured by Betsy Bird and Evanston Public Library as one of "101 Great Books for Kids List of 2020"!

Elizabeth Bird