FernFolio

Every winter, the people of Ungava Bay collect mussels by walking on the bottom of the sea. This is the story of a young girl’s very first time climbing down onto the sea bed alone.
After cutting a hole through the sea ice with her chisel, Eva lowers herself down into the hole with her mussel pans and candles to walk the sea bed at low tide. The sea ice has formed dark and mysterious caves teeming with small sea creatures and populated by the shadows of Arctic animals, sea monsters and, possibly, ghosts.
After she has filled her mussel pan, Eva explores the tidal pools, rocks and sea creatures revealed in the soft light of her candle. When she notices suddenly that time has passed and the tide is returning, Eva realizes that she has lost her way back to the hole she has cut through the ice.
Published in 1985, this is a lovely story about rites of passage and Inuit cultural traditions. Ian Wallace’ haunting water colours are a perfect counterpart to Jan Andrew’s evocative text.
FernFolio