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ᐅᓕᒍᖅ / Alego
It's almost time for supper, and Alego goes with her grandmother to the shore to collect clams. Along the way, the girl discovers tide pools brimming with life — a bright orange starfish, a creepy crawly ugjurnaq, sea snails, and a sculpin. A rising star of the famed Cape Breton Inuit art scene, author and illustrator Ningeokuluk Teevee draws on her own childhood experiences in the Arctic for this enchanting introduction to the life of an Inuit girl and her world. Printed in both Inuktitut and English, the book includes an illustrated glossary of the sea creatures in the story as well as a map of Baffin Island.
24 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 19, 2020
A young Inuit girl accompanies her Anaanatsiaq (grandmother) on a clam-digging expedition in this lovely bilingual picture-book, with text in both Inuktitut and English. Walking along the shore, Alego discovers the great diversity of life to be found in the tide pools, from kanajuit (sculpin) to siupiruq (snail), but when it is time to go, does she have any ammuumajuit (clams) in her bucket...?
A gentle tale, accompanied by Inuit artist Ningeokuluk Teevee's pencil illustrations, Alego is the first book I have encountered - intended for children or adults - that features the Inuktitut syllabary. That alone makes it an exciting publishing event, but with its warm-hearted family tale, and appealing illustrations, it is worth seeking out for its own sake as well!
A gentle tale, accompanied by Inuit artist Ningeokuluk Teevee's pencil illustrations, Alego is the first book I have encountered - intended for children or adults - that features the Inuktitut syllabary. That alone makes it an exciting publishing event, but with its warm-hearted family tale, and appealing illustrations, it is worth seeking out for its own sake as well!
April 25, 2018
I read Alego in a lovely dual language edition, featuring the story told in both Inuktitut and English. The story was incredibly sweet, telling the story of a young girl (named Alego) who goes clam digging with her grandmother. The story is a lovely representation of connection to our grandmothers, and of life in the Arctic. The illustrations were cute, but not really to my taste.
Recommended for anyone looking for a picture book featuring the Arctic, featuring Inuktitut, or featuring grandmother/granddaughter relationships.
Recommended for anyone looking for a picture book featuring the Arctic, featuring Inuktitut, or featuring grandmother/granddaughter relationships.
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February 7, 2012Reviewed by Senta Ross
Meet Alego, a young Inuit girl who lives in Cape Dorset, Nunavut. Alego loves to visit her grandmother, and one day a surprise awaits her. “It is almost low tide, and we are going clam digging,” announces the elder. Alego is very excited because of this fresh experience awaiting her. While exploring the seashore, she discovers clams in the sandy shore, sculpins in the seaweed, starfish on rocks and numerous shells and tiny sea creatures hidden in tide pools. Grandmother and Alego set off for home before the tide returns, to enjoy a feast of clams and hot tea with Grandfather.
This story is simple, but its message is far-reaching. We witness an elder sharing an Inuit tradition with her granddaughter. Through this young girl, we experience a way of life in a small community where most of us have never been. Alego is, in fact, the autobiographical story of this book’s author-illustrator, Ningeokuluk Teevee, a noted Cape Dorset artist whose focus is bringing Inuit stories and legends back to life. There is much to observe in her graphite and coloured pencil illustrations. In their naturalness, there is a powerful sense of place and history. What contributes greatly to this book’s authenticity is that Alego is written in both Inuktitut and English. An illustrated glossary of sea creatures, as well as a pictorial map of Baffin Island are also included.
Alego is a noteable contribution to Canadian children’s literature. Canada is a big country and here one is given the opportunity to learn about the life and environs of a modern-day Inuit child. This is a book which can be read and appreciated from coast to coast to coast.
Qujannamiik (thank you), Ningeokuluk Teevee!
Canadian Children's Book News (Spring 2010, Vol. 33, No. 2)
Meet Alego, a young Inuit girl who lives in Cape Dorset, Nunavut. Alego loves to visit her grandmother, and one day a surprise awaits her. “It is almost low tide, and we are going clam digging,” announces the elder. Alego is very excited because of this fresh experience awaiting her. While exploring the seashore, she discovers clams in the sandy shore, sculpins in the seaweed, starfish on rocks and numerous shells and tiny sea creatures hidden in tide pools. Grandmother and Alego set off for home before the tide returns, to enjoy a feast of clams and hot tea with Grandfather.
This story is simple, but its message is far-reaching. We witness an elder sharing an Inuit tradition with her granddaughter. Through this young girl, we experience a way of life in a small community where most of us have never been. Alego is, in fact, the autobiographical story of this book’s author-illustrator, Ningeokuluk Teevee, a noted Cape Dorset artist whose focus is bringing Inuit stories and legends back to life. There is much to observe in her graphite and coloured pencil illustrations. In their naturalness, there is a powerful sense of place and history. What contributes greatly to this book’s authenticity is that Alego is written in both Inuktitut and English. An illustrated glossary of sea creatures, as well as a pictorial map of Baffin Island are also included.
Alego is a noteable contribution to Canadian children’s literature. Canada is a big country and here one is given the opportunity to learn about the life and environs of a modern-day Inuit child. This is a book which can be read and appreciated from coast to coast to coast.
Qujannamiik (thank you), Ningeokuluk Teevee!
Canadian Children's Book News (Spring 2010, Vol. 33, No. 2)
March 9, 2018
A young girl goes out clam digging with her grandmother. She discovers many different kinds of sea life, but, after being sprayed by a clam, doesn't collect any.
I like the simplicity and ordinariness of this story and that it shows an inter generational relationship. It's bilingual with Inuit and English text on the same page. Inuit words are integrated into the English text and there is an illustrated glossary at the end of the book.
The endpapers are maps showing Cape Dorset, where the story is set.
I appreciated Ningekuluk Teevee's illustrations. I am always looking for samples of coloured pencil art to present as models for students and will add her work to the collection.
I recommend doing a google search to see the fabulous scope of her artwork.
I like the simplicity and ordinariness of this story and that it shows an inter generational relationship. It's bilingual with Inuit and English text on the same page. Inuit words are integrated into the English text and there is an illustrated glossary at the end of the book.
The endpapers are maps showing Cape Dorset, where the story is set.
I appreciated Ningekuluk Teevee's illustrations. I am always looking for samples of coloured pencil art to present as models for students and will add her work to the collection.
I recommend doing a google search to see the fabulous scope of her artwork.
September 15, 2021
Copyright year: 2009
Awards: Governor General’s Literary Awards
Genre: international, picture children’s book
This was a beautiful story of a young girl going out to the beach when the tide was low with her grandma and choosing clams, but the greatest thing about the book is that it showed a lot of their families culture and language, it was a great bilingual book that has a glossary of different vocabulary words in two languages! This will be great in classrooms to show children another culture through a bilingual picture book.
Awards: Governor General’s Literary Awards
Genre: international, picture children’s book
This was a beautiful story of a young girl going out to the beach when the tide was low with her grandma and choosing clams, but the greatest thing about the book is that it showed a lot of their families culture and language, it was a great bilingual book that has a glossary of different vocabulary words in two languages! This will be great in classrooms to show children another culture through a bilingual picture book.
June 21, 2020
This is a great way to learn about collecting clams and a visit to the seashore . It is written in english and in the Inuktitut language and is a great way for children to learn about Canadian north and Inuit culture.
February 21, 2020
Loved the pencil color type art
February 3, 2012
A little girl goes clam digging with her grandmother
but fills her bucket with all kinds of other creatures she discovers
along the shore at low tide: starfish, kanajuit, and creepy crawly things --
but not clams!
Set in the Canadian Arctic, story of an Inuit family with text in Inuit too.
I would love a pronunciation guide for these words!
but fills her bucket with all kinds of other creatures she discovers
along the shore at low tide: starfish, kanajuit, and creepy crawly things --
but not clams!
Set in the Canadian Arctic, story of an Inuit family with text in Inuit too.
I would love a pronunciation guide for these words!
June 23, 2011
Sweet little book about a little girl's special memory of clam digging with her mother....the drawings are adorable and childlike which makes it even sweeter. Story very short and simple.
July 25, 2012
Nice story of a girl exploring on the seashore with her grandma nearby. It has Inuit words here and there. It would be nice to have pronunciations, but there is a glossary.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews