Young Adult Fiction

A teenage girl walks home in a burgeoning blizzard, happy to have an unexpected snow day. Ignoring an Elder’s warning about the terror the blizzard holds, she finds herself alone in her home with an unseen presence stalking and tormenting her. What does it want? And will she survive?

A bilingual (English and Inuktitut) traditional Inuit story from the North Baffin region.

In the Arctic, children are warned about the dangers of mysterious beings that lurk under the ice—the qallupilluit. But one child does not heed the warnings. . . .

David heads to the beach to play on the ice. But he quickly realizes he’s not alone. A webbed hand emerges from the water, and soon David finds himself cornered by sea monsters. David uses his wits and agility to escape them. But when he makes it back to his family, he learns that his little brother is missing—and had followed him to the ice. David races back to the ice to look for his brother, but will he be able to find him and escape the menacing qallupilluit a second time?

Based on creatures from traditional Inuit stories, Qallupilluit: The Takers of Children is a chilling cautionary tale.

While everyone is busy preparing for the coming winter, two girls wander away from their camp, following a path of strange, beautiful stones. Each stone is lovelier than the last, and the trail leads them farther and farther away from camp. But what starts out as a peaceful afternoon on the land, quickly turns dangerous when the girls find themselves trapped in the cave of Mangittatuarjuk - the Gnawer of Rocks! Based on a traditional Inuit legend, this graphic novel introduces readers to a dark and twisted creature that haunts the Northern landscape and preys on unsuspecting children...

Now available in paperback!

Based on the acclaimed animated film Amaqqut Nunaat: The Country of Wolves, this visually stunning graphic novel takes readers on a mysterious adventure with two brothers who are lost at sea. It begins as an average hunting trip for two young men. But when they find themselves adrift at sea, the only safe haven to be found for miles - a mysterious village filled with the sounds of drum dancing and revelry - turns out to be even more dangerous than the frigid ocean.

Experience the exciting world of arctic giants through traditional tales from around Nunavut. Based on elder interviews from more than one hundred years ago, these stories reveal the fearsome giants that once stalked the arctic. From enormous beings strong enough to pick up a walrus with one hand, to massive creatures that towered over mountains and could carry humans on the lace of one boot, these Inuktitut language stories will introduce readers to a vast array of arctic giants.

Huuq is a young Inuit boy who has never fit in to camp life. One day, fleeing yet another attack from the camp bullies, Huuq finds himself alone and far away from camp, with only his dog Qipik as company. On a lonesome hill, they find an egg. But this is no ordinary bird's egg. It's big. And almost looks like a stone. When Huuq breaks this mysterious egg, it unleashes a series of events that turn Huuq himself into a monstrous half-human creature. As Huuq tries to figure out why he has been turned into a monster, what the egg and its contents mean, and how he can return to his natural self, he is thrust into a world of fearsome creatures, mystical powers, and an evil the likes of which Huuq has never encountered.

Forget fairies and forget vampires! Let yourself be drawn into the dark world of the shape-shifters, ogresses, trolls, and demons of the Canadian Arctic. This collection of field notes meticulously documents the dark side of Inuit legends, complete with hideous monsters and unspeakable deeds. Each creature is brought to life by the stunning illustrations of Mike Austin, a world-renowned tattoo artist. The Hidden exposes the dark beings that lurk in Arctic shadows. This gothic, illustrated book is destined to become a collector's item for any reader interested in dark folklore.

In this adventurous novel - set in the ancient Arctic, but narrated for modern readers by an inquisitive and entertaining contemporary narrator - a young, wandering Inuit hunter named Kannujaq happens upon a camp in grave peril. The inhabitants of the camp are Tunit, a race of ancient Inuit ancestors known for their shyness and meekness. The tranquility of this Tunit camp has been shaken by a group of murderous, pale, bearded strangers who have arrived on a huge boat shaped like a loon.
Unbeknownst to Kannujaq, he has stumbled upon a battle between the Tunit and a group of Viking warriors!
As the camp prepares to defend itself against the approaching newcomers, Kannujaq and a Tunit shaman boy named Siku discover that the Vikings may have motivations other than murder and warfare at the heart of their quest.
This lush historical fiction is steeped in Inuit traditional knowledge and concepts of ancient Inuit magic. The unique time and place brought to life in this exciting novel will delight young fans of historical and fantastical fiction alike.

This teen novel, written by Iqaluit-based Inuit author Aviaq Johnston, is a coming-of-age story that follows a young shaman named Pitu as he learns to use his powers and ultimately finds himself lost in the world of the spirits.
After a strange and violent blizzard leaves Pitu stranded on the sea ice, without his dog team or any weapons to defend himself, he soon realizes that he is no longer in the word that he once knew. The storm has carried him into the world of the spirits, a world populated with terrifying creatures---black wolves with red eyes, ravenous and constantly stalking him; water-dwelling creatures that want nothing more than to snatch him and pull him into the frigid ocean through an ice crack. As well as beings less frightening, but equally as incredible, such as a lone giant who can carry Pitu in the palm of her hand and keeps caribou and polar bears as pets.
After stumbling upon a fellow shaman who has been trapped in the spirit world for many years, Pitu must master all of his shamanic powers to make his way back to the world of the living, to his family, and to the girl that he loves.

Stories of Survival and Revenge presents three action-packed Inuit folktales: the stories of Nuliajuk, the mother of the sea mammals; Kaugjagjuk, the mistreated orphan who seeks revenge; and the Nanurluk, an enormous polar bear many times the size of a regular bear.
Written at a reading level of approximately grade three, and an interest level suitable for the 12+ age group, this book is a perfect pick for reluctant and struggling readers.
With comic book-inspired illustrations, this book presents these folktales as they were meant to be experienced, with all of the heart-pounding action and awe-inspiring creatures that Inuit mythology has to offer.

Haunted by the vicious creatures of his recent past, Pitu tries to go back to a normal life at home after the other-worldly travels and near-death encounters of his recent disappearance into the world of the spirits. But Pitu knows that there is more work to be done, and more that he must learn in his new role as a shaman.

When word of a starving village nearby reaches Pitu, he must go help its people appease the angry spirits. It soon becomes clear that Pitu must travel to the bottom of the ocean to meet Nuliajuk, the vengeful woman below, one of the most powerful beings in Inuit mythology.

There he learns about his role in saving the starving community and that all in his home camp may not be as it seems . . .