Inuk artist Tanya Tagaq publishing first picture book, with illustrations from Cee Pootoogook
It Bears Repeating will be published on Aug. 20, 2024
Tanya Tagaq is an Inuk writer and Juno Award-winning throat singer. Her first novel, Split Tooth, set in 1970s Nunavut, won the Indigenous Voices Award for best published prose in English in 2019.
Tagaq's upcoming picture book, It Bears Repeating, celebrates Inuktitut language and art.
It Bears Repeating is a counting picture book for young readers that features the fascinating Arctic animal — the polar bear. From one to 10, more polar bears make their way through the icy landscape while they play, dance and search for food. This book combines English and Inuktitut words for young readers and parents alike.
It Bears Repeating features illustrations by Cee Pootoogook who has worked as a sculptor, stonecut printer and multimedia artist since 1990. "I adored the artwork from Cee!" Tagaq wrote in an email to CBC Books.
Pootoogook is an Inuk artist and illustrator. He has worked in carving, stone cutting and illustrations. It Bears Repeating is his first picture book.
Tundra Books, the book's publisher, notes that it "is joyful, powerful, clever and striking — much like the bears."
Tagaq wrote this picture book with the hope that the Inuktitut words could be read aloud and plans to release a story time video with Tundra Books to educate readers on the correct pronunciations.
"I love children's books and children themselves. I wanted to write this book because learning to count is such a sweet time in a child's life. I hope readers (and parents) will also feel the pun is amusing," she said.
It Bears Repeating is a book for ages 3-7 and will be published on Aug. 20, 2024.
