Spirit of the Sea cover

Spirit of the Sea

by Rebecca Hainnu

This illustrated picture book tells the story of the spirit of the sea, known by many Inuktitut names including Nuliajuq, Sedna, and Takannaaluk, who is a key figure from the pantheon of Inuit lore. Sedna was once a young woman who refused to marry, but the lies and deception of a treacherous bird and her own father s cowardice lead her to a life of solitude at the bottom of the ocean as the powerful, and at times vengeful, spirit of the sea. Steeped in Inuit traditional values and lifestyle, this book serves as an ideal introduction to the mythology of the first peoples to inhabit North America.

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?