This story was pretty disjointed--it came on too strong with the characters, who we needed to come to care for organically, and not like in a TV show where they each do their personality-establishing bit--and the size changing stuff was both over-telegraphed and hard to follow. But it's always fun to visit the North, and I was glad Ava found a new home. ( )

Based on traditional Inuit stories about the Inugarulligaarjuit - a supernatural race of little people who can change their size at will - this original fairy-tale chronicles the adventures of Ava, a young orphan boy who longs to join the hunters of his village on one of their outings. Rejected because he is an orphan, Ava instead spends his days alone, hiding in the old ruins left by the Thule (an Inuit culture that existed many centuries before). Then one day a tiny hunter named Sakku appears, and invites Ava to join him on a hunt. So begins the boy's experiences with the Little Folk, who becomes his adoptive kin.

I found Ava and the Little Folk immensely engaging, and would imagine that young readers with an interest in folklore and fairy-tales, or who just enjoy adventure stories featuring orphans, will feel the same. The cultural details may be unfamiliar - I appreciated the inclusion of an Inuit glossary at the back - but other story elements, such as the idea of the orphan child finding a home, will feel very familiar. I have now read a number of titles from Inhabit Media, an Inuit-owned published based in Nunavut, and continue to be impressed by their offerings. The narrative here is engrossing, and the artwork, done by Jonathan Wright, appealing. I like the muted color-scheme here, so appropriate in depicting am arctic world, and the vivid expressions on the various characters' faces. This one is text-heavy for a picture-book, so I'd recommend it to children (or adults) who are on the older side of the picture-book range. Perhaps six and up? ( )