Akpa’s Journey

ᐊᒃᐸ, ᐊᒃᐸᕌᑯᓗᒃ, ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑑᑉ ᐃᖕᓈᕈᖓᑕ ᐃᓚᖓᓂ ᑐᑭᖅᑐᖅ. ᐊᑯᓂᐅᖖᒋᑦᑐᖅ, ᐊᐅᓪᓛᕆᐊᓕᑯᓘᓕᖅᑐᖅ ᑎᖏᔪᓐᓇᖅᓯᓚᐅᖖᒋᒻᒪᕆᒃᑐᓂ ᓱᓕ. ᒥᓯᒃᑲᒥ ᐃᒪᕕᐊᓗᖕᒧᑦ ᐊᑖᑕᒥᓄᑦ ᐊᔪᕆᖅᓲᔾᔭᐅᓪᓗᓂ, ᐊᒃᐸᒃ ᐳᐃᔾᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᑕᐅᓴᓂᒃ km-ᓂᒃ ᑎᖏᓯᒪᓕᓚᐅᖖᒋᓐᓂᕐᒥᓂ ᐊᐅᓪᓛᕐᓂᖓ ᖃᓂᓪᓕᓛᖓᓂ ᑎᑭᓐᓇᓱᒃᑕᒥᓄᑦ. ᐊᐅᓪᓛᖃᑎᒌᒃᑐᑎᒃ ᐳᐃᔾᔭᖅᑐᑎᒃ, ᐊᒃᐸᒃᑯᒃ ᐊᑖᑕᒌᒃ ᐃᒪᕕᒃᑯᑦ ᓇᐅᑦᑎᖅᓱᕋᖅᐴᒃ, ᐊᖅᑯᑖᓂ ᑲᑎᓯᕙᒃᑐᑎᒃ ᑕᑯᓕᒪᖖᒋᑕᒥᖕᓂᒃ.

ᓈᒪᓪᓗᓂ ᓱᓕᔪᓂᒃ ᑎᖕᒥᐊᑉ ᒥᒃᓵᓄᑦ, ᐃᒃᐱᖕᓇᖅᑐᑯᓗᒃ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅ ᐃᓕᓴᐃᕗᖅ ᐊᓂᒍᐃᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᑲᑉᐱᐊᑦᑕᐃᓐᓂᕐᒥᒡᓗ ᐃᓛᓐᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᒥᓯᒋᐊᖃᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᔪᓐᓇᖅᓯᓚᐅᖖᒋᓪᓗᓂ.

After thick-billed murre Akpa emerges from his egg, high on an Arctic cliff, he soon learns that he must embark on a long migration before he is even able to fly. Flinging himself into the icy water with his father to guide him, Akpa must swim 1,000 kilometres of his journey south before he is able to finally fly the final leg of his journey. Adult male murres are also unable to fly during this time of the year, due to their changing feathers, so father and son must navigate south on the choppy ocean waves, meeting new and unfamiliar creatures along the way.

Written by Mia Pelletier | Illustrated by Kagan McLeod

Hardcover (English) | ISBN: 978-1-77227-429-5 | $18.95 | 9.5″ x 8.5″ | 32 Pages | Full-colour illustrations throughout | Ages 6-8 | F&P Level P

Paperback (Inukititut) | ISBN: 978-1-77227-457-8 | $14.95 | 9.5″ x 8.5″ | 32 Pages | Full-colour illustrations throughout | Ages 6-8 | F&P Level P

Praise

“This relatively unknown migration will fascinate readers who are mature enough to sit through the rather lengthy text, and the language will captivate…Readers will not want to miss this migration story.”—Kirkus

“ [A]n incredible journey”—Publishers Weekly

“Bird lovers will be thrilled as they follow the incredible 1,000-kilometre journey that the Arctic murre makes yearly from the icy waters of Nunavut.”—The Globe and Mail

“The story is laced with kernels of truth and gorgeous prose, making this beautiful tale perfect for grandparents, parents, and educators to share with young children ages six to ten. Youth will savor the detailed, realistic illustrations. They’ll aid them in joining Akpa on his amazing and enlightening journey.”—Seattle Book Review

“Akpa’s Journey is an inspiring story about an incredible species with universal themes about perseverance and the love and dedication of parents.”—Hakai Magazine

“Akpa’s Journey is the perfect combination: a story told about an Arctic animal by an author who clearly has the knowledge and the passion to tell the story, illustrated by an artist with the skill to bring that story to life for young readers everywhere…Highly Recommended”—CM: Canadian Review of Materials

Awards

Best Books for Kids and Teens — The Canadian Children’s Book Centre, 2023