The Gnawer of Rocks

This book is based on a traditional Inuit story. Two young girls go walking away from their camp, along the river. They collect beautiful, shiny stones. Losing track of the distance they have walked, the girls find themselves at the mouth of an unfamiliar cave. Seeing more shiny stones, the girls go inside the cave. But, as soon as they are inside, the cave door slams shut!

Deep inside the cave, there is a shelf containing the rotting, decaying skulls of children. One of the skulls tells the girls to run away because they have entered Mangittatuarjuk’s cave. The girls must dig themselves out, or they will face the same fate as the other children!

Will the girls be able to escape this legendary creature that eats children?

I liked this story. It was more graphic than most children’s stories I have read. But scary stories don’t bother me, so it was fine. I understand that stories like this were meant to scare children into staying with adults, for their own safety. I think it was an effective way to keep kids safe. The pictures added to the suspense and creepiness of the story.