In my anaana's amautik /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

"The far north has never felt so deliciously warm." -- ★Kirkus Reviews

"Readers will carry this gorgeous book close to their hearts."-- ★School Library Journal

"Just right for bedtime, it's an intimate tale that celebrates simple warmth and comfort."--Publishers Weekly

Nadia Sammurtok lovingly invites the reader into the amautik--the pouch in the back of a mother's parka used to carry a child--to experience everything through the eyes of the baby nestled inside, from the cloudlike softness of the pouch to the glistening sound of Anaana's laughter. Sweet and soothing, this book offers a unique perspective that will charm readers of all ages.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Inuit writer Sammurtok details the pleasures of riding in an amautik--the Inuktitut word for "the pouch in the back of a woman's parka where a baby can be carried"--a conveyance limited to very small children. Her calming bedtime litany dwells on the warmth and security the garment offers: "In my anaana's amautik, it feels soft.... I love curling up inside." More stanzas ring small changes on the theme, invoking all the senses--the warmth of anaana's skin, her scent, the sound of her laughter, and the message delivered by this safe place: "I feel loved." Lishchenko's artwork, in light-filled, sun-bleached scenes, convey the delicate beauty of the Arctic--a spray of flowers growing up from a pile of stones, the white fluff of blooms gone to seed. Just right for bedtime, it's an intimate tale that celebrates simple warmth and comfort. Ages up to 3. (Apr.)

School Library Journal Review

Toddler-PreS--In this sweet story, a young child describes the multitude of wonderful feelings and sensory experiences they have while being carried by their mother. Each spread starts with a statement about how it feels "in my anaana's amautik," then expands that idea with a simple but powerful simile that evokes a connection with nature and/or a connection between mother and child: "In my anaana's amautik, it feels peaceful. Her breathing feels like ocean waves gently rolling in and out. I love sleeping in my anaana's amautik." Finally, each spread ends with an affirmation of what the child loves about being carried. The text's gentle pattern and repetition surrounds each idea and carries readers along, just as the child is carried. Inuit author Sammurtok's beautiful story is matched with illustrations that use a controlled palette and intimate compositions to create a calming sensory experience. The use of texture and pattern in the illustrations adroitly captures the experience described in the text. A short glossary and links to audio recordings of the Inuktitut words is included. VERDICT This gentle story is warm, cozy, and loving--just like being in anaana's amautik. Readers will carry this gorgeous book close to their hearts.--Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, MN

Booklist Review

Amautik is the Inuit name for the baby-carrying pouch situated in the back of a woman's parka, and the cover illustration, depicting a sleeping child's face snugly wrapped in fur, leaves no doubt as to how cozy an amautik can be. Told from the perspective of a child, this title lets readers share in the intimacy between a mother and her young one. More than providing warmth and security, the amautik allows this child to connect with the natural world as she engages it from a safe vantage point. While she is surely too young to know such things, she relates her mother's breath to rolling ocean waves, the serenity to the scent of summer flowers. In this sense, the book has a nostalgic tone, reflecting the mother's experience more than the child's. Lishchenko's mixed-media, digital, and pencil-drawn illustrations capture the real and metaphorical closeness between people and surroundings. A tender paean for the youngest readers and their caregivers.

Horn Book Review

A baby's perspective of being held in its anaana's (mother's) amautik ("the pouch in the back of a woman's parka where a baby can be carried") is explored in lulling, sensory-rich text and illustrations. Each spread begins with a feeling ("In my anaana's amautik, I feel warm"), followed by a lyrical comparison ("The warmth of her skin feels like sunshine"), then ending with a message of love ("I love being in my anaana's amautik"). The physical closeness of parent and child is reinforced in the warmhearted illustrations; it's because mother and baby are so close that we only see the top of baby's head, a small hand reaching out from the amautik, and an extreme close-up of anaana's face as she gives her child a kiss. Soft, soothing blues and whites form the backdrop of the illustrations, with bright pops of color, such as buttery-yellow sunshine, and textured bursts of flowers and fuzzy dandelion heads, reflecting the text's details and mood. This gentle story elevates the feelings of comfort and security that the amautik enables. A brief glossary (with pronunciation) of Inuktitut words is included, along with a website link to further resources. Julie Hakim Azzam May/June 2020 p.109(c) Copyright 2020. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Book Review

The narrator, an Inuit toddler, enjoys being tucked in the hood of Anaana's parka.In the far north, many women wear parkas that have a hood, or amautik, that also serves as a baby carrier to keep their offspring warm. One toddler, the narrator of the story, explains how being carried this way "feels like being wrapped up in soft clouds." While tucked inside the amautik, the child inhales Anaana's calming scent, like "flowers in the summertime." The narrator thinks of the hood as a tiny iglu, or snow house, that provides cozy protection. The sound of Anaana's laughter comforts the child, but most of all, the child feels Anaana's love. Each spread appeals to a different sense, creating a deliciously cozy and nurturing microenvironment for this lucky tot. Inuit author and educator Sammurtok brings her work preserving Inuktitut to the text, with a spare sprinkling of vocabulary (defined in a closing glossary). The repetition of "In my anaana's amautik" at the beginning of each short paragraph is both lulling and reinforcing of the relationship between child and mother. Canadian illustrator Lishchenko's use of textures and subtle colors blends well with the strong, simple text. Delicate pastels give the Arctic landscape a welcoming beauty, and fanciful depictions of the similes the narrator suggests lend a playful air. The far north has never felt so deliciously warm. (Picture book. 2-5) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.