The Haunted Igloo (18 page)

Authors: Bonnie Turner

Tags: #aklavik, #arctic, #canada, #coming of age stories, #fear of dark, #friendship, #huskies, #loneliness, #northwest territories

BOOK: The Haunted Igloo

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“
His feet!” Jean-Paul turned to his
mother. “You didn’t show me his feet! I want to see if his feet are
normal.”

“
Of course they’re normal.” She pulled
back the blanket. “See for yourself. His feet are
perfect.”

Jean-Paul stared at the
tiny pink feet. He could not imagine they might someday wear size
fourteen boots. His mother covered them again, saying, “We don’t
want them to freeze, do we?”

Jean-Paul was happy that
his brother would not have to walk like an
okalerk
. “You should put his new boots
on him, Ma. They’ll keep him warm.”

Lise agreed. “He’ll get
dressed after he has a bath.”

“
What are we going to name him? Did
you and Pa think of a good name? Pa’s going to be very surprised
when he comes home.”

Lise’s eyes sparkled.
“We’re going to call him Pierre, after your Uncle
Pierre.”

Jean-Paul groaned. He did
not like that name. He liked the uncle, but thought the name was
terrible. “I think we should name him Chinook, after my
friend.”

Chinook stopped what he was
doing and grabbed his throat. “
Ukk
!” he cried, sticking out his
tongue. “That’s no good name for a French baby, Jean-Paul
Okalerk
!
You better stick with Pierre!
Chinook
Ardoin?
Ukk
!”

###

About the author:

More than thirty years ago, while living in
Michigan, Bonnie Turner’s family adopted a husky named “Sasha,” the
same name as Jean-Paul’s dog in the book. This exciting event led
to a lasting interest in Inuit culture and life in the Arctic, and
to the writing of
The Haunted Igloo
.

For a number of years, the author visited
grade schools with a life-sized Inuit doll, where she lectured
students on the importance of reading and writing, and offered
“polar bear hugs” along with her autograph.

For Bonnie Turner, this new edition of
The
Haunted Igloo
was a labor of love, dedicated to the real Sasha,
who died at age thirteen.

Bonnie Turner lives in Wisconsin.

Other books by Bonnie Turner

Spirit Lights (sequel to The Haunted
Igloo)

Juvenile fiction; Arctic Regions.

First edition: 2004.

Down the Memory Hole

Juvenile fiction; Contemporary; Alzheimer’s
disease.

First edition: 2005.

Footprints in Time: A Walk in Sacajawea’s
Moccasins

Juvenile; Non-fiction Biography; History.

First edition: 2006.