Those That Cause Fear

By Neil Christopher and Germaine Arnattaujuq (Arnaktauyok)

This book introduces kids to the spine-tingling, hair-raising creatures found in Inuit myths. From the mahahaa, a fearsome creature that tickles people to death, to the palraiyuk, a reptilian creature said to have six legs and the body of a snake, this book introduces kids to all the creepy, spooky, and downright scary creatures told about in Inuit traditional myths.

"Renowned Inuit artist Arnaktauyok illustrates each one with smooth tints and stylized postures reflecting traditional Inuit art, emphasizing a bizarre otherworldliness that suits the subject perfectly." - Toronto Star

"The sometimes-frightening creatures should easily hit the spot for kids who like scary stories . . ." - Publisher’s Weekly

• Language: English
• Publisher: Inhabit Media
• Release date: Nov 1, 2015
• ISBN: 9781772271720

Neil Christopher

Neil Christopher is an educator, author, and filmmaker. He first moved to the North many years ago to help start a high school program in Resolute Bay, Nunavut. It was those students who first introduced Neil to the mythical inhabitants from Inuit traditional stories. Together with his colleague, Louise Flaherty, and his brother, Danny Christopher, Neil started a small publishing company in Nunavut called Inhabit Media Inc., and has since been working to promote Northern stories and authors.

Book preview

Reviews for Those That Cause Fear

[abigailadams26 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Taken from the Inuit folk tradition, the twenty creatures profiled in this picture-book guide all present dangers of a supernatural kind to the peoples of the far north. From Nuliajuk, seen on the front cover, who was sacrificed by her own father, eventually becoming a sort of guardian of the seas and the creatures it contains, to the kajjait, ever-hungry wolves born from wasted meat, the beings discussed here are all manifestations of real-world creatures and/or problems, magnified to a greater or lesser extent. They seem often to function as warnings and/or guides, reminding the people of the north to be respectful of the natural world and its inhabits, and to be mindful of the dangers of that world.Like various other titles published by Inhabit Media, an Inuit-owned press based in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Those That Cause Fear opens a window into a folk tradition with which many readers will be unfamiliar. The beings described in its pages are often fearsome, and always fascinating, accentuating the ever-present dangers of living in such an extreme and unforgiving environment. The illustrations, done by Inuit artist Germaine Arnaktauyok, capture the simultaneously beautiful and frightening nature of the creatures under discussion, while a guide at the rear gives the proper pronunciation for each Inuktitut name and term used. Recommended to anyone looking for books about Inuit folklore, or for guides to fantastical creatures.