Ice Drift
Grade 4-7 - Taylor jumps headlong into this page-turning tale of survival set in the Arctic in 1868. Inuit brothers Alika, 14, and Sulu, 10, are seal hunting with their family's dog team when the ice shelf they are on is rammed by an iceberg and detached from their island. As the floe begins drifting south, the boys free all but one of the dogs to swim to the mainland and run home. Thus warned, their father attempts to find them but is unsuccessful. In the meantime, Alika builds anigluand hunts. The boys fight the frigid weather, are menaced by a bear, and try to keep their spirits up while wondering if they will ever return home. Six months pass before they see another human. Taylor unobtrusively works an enormous amount of historical and cultural material into the narrative, using the boys' conversations as a primary tool of conveyance. Alika's answers to his fretful brother's questions supply readers with information, and his skills in utilizing every bit of the slain seals display how assiduously the Inuit make use of their environment. Religious beliefs are reflected in Alika's explanations, thoughts, and actions. Animal lovers will enjoy the close relationship the boys have with their remaining dog. While perhaps not a classic likeThe Cay(HarperCollins, 1976),Ice Driftis nevertheless a masterful and detailed look into a culture unfamiliar to most Americans, a gripping adventure, and a moving depiction of brotherly love.- Coop Renner, Hillside Elementary, El Paso, TXCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.