The Raven's Gift: a true story from Greenland, by Kelly Dupre

• Age Range: 4 - 7 years
• Grade Level: Preschool - 3
• Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
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From inside flap: Home to the musk oxen, narwhal, polar bear, and raven, Greenland—the earth’s largest island—seems to hold the magic and mystery of the far north. What would it be like to visit there? To kayak along its remote shores, dogsled through its tundra, visit its tiny villages?

With charming linoleum block prints, Kelly Dupre follows the long, difficult journey of two men. In simple words, she captures the tenacity and vitality of all that they see—and subtly reveals to children what can be learned from a place like Greenland.

My Review: In The Raven's Gift: a true story from Greenland, Kelly Dupre tells the story of her husband's, (Lonnie Dupre) and his friend's (John Hoelscher) kayaking and dogsledding exploration of Greenland. her Inuit peoples, and the native animals there. 

In her story, and with  her illustrations Kelly informs the reader of some of the native animals of Greenland and the Inuit names. 

Kelly continues telling her husbands story, and the Raven's gift: when exhausted, tired and discouraged Lonnie set out the find the bird making so much noise. When he found her, the raven was ensnared in musk ox fur, and a stick. Knowing that if she wasn't freed, she'd parish--Lonnie told her his story, and when she began to trust him, he scooped her up and untangled her from the fur.

Lonnie says after rescuing the raven:

Lonnie and John traveled for 15 months in Greenland. They traveled 3,200 miles, and Lonnie stated about the Raven's gift:

The Raven's Gift is a good book, it teaches the reader a bit about Greenland and the Inuit people, but mostly this book is an example of a memoir geared to early readers. It teaches, and this may be above young reader's understanding, that even when you feel like you are at the end of yourself, if you look hard, you will realize that you have the strength to carry on.

More Books for learning about Greenland: 

Little Bear: A Folktale from Greenland / Dawn Casey

In this beautiful retelling of a folktale from Greenland, an unlikely friendship develops between a lonely old woman and a baby polar bear. With stunning artwork from Chris Corner, this book explores the moving relationship between human and animal as the bear cub grows up. (Amazon)

• Folktales are an excellent way to learn about other cultures and beliefs.

Greenland / Jean Blashfield

Discusses the geography and climate, history, wildlife, economy, government, people, religion, and culture of Greenland. (WorldCat).