Book Review via
Amazon.com: To her small Eskimo village, she is known as Miyax; to her friend
in San Francisco, she is Julie. When the village is no longer safe for her,
Miyax runs away. But she soon finds herself lost in the Alaskan wilderness,
without food, without even a compass to guide her.
Slowly she is accepted
by a pack of Arctic wolves; she grows to love them as though they were family.
With their help, and drawing on her father's teachings, Miyax struggles day by
clay to survive. But the time comes when she must leave the wilderness and
choose between the old ways and the new. Which will she choose? For she is
Miyax of the Eskimos--but Julie of the Wolves.
Here is the novel to represent Alaska in referencing to my Reading
Across America Challenge. I have to
say, that this book was an amazing read. The perfect choice for Alaska I think,
so way to go Epic Reads forums and surveys for this one. This is a Newberry
Medal winner from 1972 and I believe still holds value today. Since most school
and public libraries acquire Newberry winners, most of the libraries that would
have/want this book probably already have this title so I don’t have to tell
you to get it.
This story is definitely shorter than “The
Splendor Falls” and is meant for younger audiences, but even as an adult “Julie
of the Wolves” is awesome to read. A
friend of mine even recognized the title when I told her about my project. She remembered loving it. This book is probably taught in many
elementary/middle schools and is a must read. Before you share with students or patrons, I
recommend them doing a little background search on the author or on animal
behavior. You could even pair this with perhaps a science lesson on animals to
keep students engaged. George, clearly,
did research on animal behavior and Alaskan life which made this book a more powerful
read. I almost could see this as a
non-fiction/ethnography study more so than a fictional story.
Miyax/Julie is truly an amazing character. Though not many
of us could understand her plight, I still feel her character can be relatable.
(SPOILER)For example, at the end when she reunites with her supposedly dead
father, she remembers her father, Kapugen, as the hunter and advocate of traditional
Eskimo values. When she finds him via a traveling family, she is somewhat disappointed
in his change. Kapugen has married an outsider and even hunts animals…by plane
(Sarah Palin much buddy?). Miyax/Julie has a realization after leaving her
father’s. Her bird-friend, Tournait, has passed and with that the Eskimo life
for Miyax/Julie. She returns to her
father where she will officially go by her English name, Julie.
Why I feel this is relatable? In growing up we start to see
adults differently. We grow up thinking our parents/elders/the world have no
faults and childhood was ultimately the best. It is those moments that you
realize that adults make mistakes, the world is not perfect, and nothing meets
expectations. It is those moments that can change you. I think teenagers realize this and come to
terms with it throughout adolescence. And though we feel that teenagers are
rampaged on hormones and we see them as “difficult," I believe part of the seemingly
emotional teenager comes from this realization. The world is not what they
seemed. Miyax/Julie’s epiphany about her
father and consequently her way of life is relatable to young teens who are
coming to realize the same thing. Nothing is perfect and they are now having to deal with adulthood. OK, so
that was completely depressing. That is growing up sometimes peeps!
Two reviews down, only 48 to go!
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