Waluk

by Emilio Ruiz, Ana Miralles (Illustrator)

Overview

Young Waluk is all alone. His mother has abandoned him, as is the way of polar bears, and now he must fend for himself. But he doesn't know much about the world—and unfortunately, his Arctic world is changing quickly. The ice is melting, and food is hard to find.

Luckily, Waluk meets Manitok, a wise old bear with missing teeth and a bad sense of smell. Manitok knows many survival tricks, and he teaches Waluk about seals, foxes, changing seasons, and—when Manitok is caught in a trap—human beings. Has Waluk learned enough from his friend to find a way to save him?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781541512856
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	08/01/2017
Series:	Fiction - Grades PreK-4
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	56
File size:	12 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	8 - 9 Years

Editorial Reviews

★ 09/30/2013
This exceptional English-language debut for the author/artist team of Ruiz and Miralles will make readers hope more translations are underway. The basic plot of their Arctic tale is familiar—two outcasts find they can survive when they cooperate—but the two are polar bears, not humans, and their fates are linked to the circumstances of climate change. Miralles resists romanticizing the Arctic landscape; her honest documentation of the scars humans have left on the land—trash, fences, highways—is especially moving. Waluk is a cub just abandoned by his mother, while Manitok is an ancient bear close to the end of his life, with few teeth and little speed left. Their efforts to hunt enough protein to feed themselves draws them together, and the drama that unfolds when Manitok is captured by scientists helps Waluk become a leader. Heartbreaking moments (“I saw how the humans had taken the skin off my mother and sister... as if they were seals”) are never overplayed, and humor always leavens the sadness. Suggestions of a polar bear spiritual world add yet another layer of interest. Ages 7–11. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

"This exceptional English-language debut for the author/artist team of Ruiz and Miralles will make readers hope more translations are underway. The basic plot of their Arctic tale is familiar—two outcasts find they can survive when they cooperate—but the two are polar bears, not humans, and their fates are linked to the circumstances of climate change. Miralles resists romanticizing the Arctic landscape; her honest documentation of the scars humans have left on the land—trash, fences, highways—is especially moving. Waluk is a cub just abandoned by his mother, while Manitok is an ancient bear close to the end of his life, with few teeth and little speed left. Their efforts to hunt enough protein to feed themselves draws them together, and the drama that unfolds when Manitok is captured by scientists helps Waluk become a leader. Heartbreaking moments ('I saw how the humans had taken the skin off my mother and sister... as if they were seals') are never overplayed, and humor always leavens the sadness. Suggestions of a polar bear spiritual world add yet another layer of interest." —starred, Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

2013-10-01
A glimpse into the life of a young polar bear and its struggle to survive within a rapidly changing landscape. Abandoned by his mother, Waluk is left to fend--and hunt--for himself. After a time trying to subsist on easily attainable duck eggs, he meets Manitok, an old bear who was once a great hunter but now suffers from a poor sense of smell and missing fangs. The pair quickly bond, and Manitok helps Waluk become a more adroit hunter. However, with food in short supply due to the warming Arctic, the bears find themselves in a garbage dump, where Manitok unwittingly stumbles into a bear trap. Against all odds, young Waluk rallies the other bears to help rescue his imprisoned friend. Miralles' bears are disarmingly adorable, and Ruiz gives them humanlike personalities, making them easy for kids to relate to. Despite the rampant ursine cuddliness, this is not a fluffy, sweet tale; these bears must fight to survive in a changing world, and their struggle viscerally brings home the seemingly faraway effects of climate change. Ruiz's afterword helps tie in many of the main issues and offers readers a smattering of websites for further research. Cute meets socially conscious, leaving an indelible impression upon readers. (afterword) (Graphic fiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews