A Walk on the Shoreline

A Walk on the Shoreline is about a young boy named Nukappia who lives in Ottawa, but spends the summers with his biological family in northern Nunavut. His family will be camping along the shore. To get there, he walks along the shoreline with his uncle and sees the living things that his family can use. Seaweed can be eaten in soup and has lots of nutrients. They see people fishing for char using kakivaks, or traditional fishing spears. They meet his cousins, who are catching sculpin, clams and urchins. Nukappia learns that Inuits use plants and animals as food, medicine or tools.

I liked A Walk on the Shoreline but I thought it was a little bit long. I learned new things, like seaweed can be eaten and that sculpins have anti-freezing powers. I have never heard of a sculpin fish before. I really liked the end where there was pictures of the real fish, clams and plants that are found along the seashore. I think this book is good to show kids what kind of plants and animals are found in Nunavut.