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Companion novel to On Thin Ice: Polar Bears in a Climate of Change On Thin Ice by Jamie Bastedo Ashley and the bear stalk each other on ice that's thinning fast. Who will triumph? In spite of its name, no one in the tiny troubled hamlet of NanurtalikÑÒthe place with polar bearsÓÑcan remember seeing a polar bear in decades. The discovery of a teenagerÕs mangled body on a nearby ice road signals the possible return of polar bears, which are being driven to new territories by a drastically changing arctic climate. This northern coastal community is thrown into chaos as another suspected bear attack sparks a flurry of bullets that whiz through town during a blinding six day blizzard. Was it a real bear or a phantom? No one can say for sure, but the community must find out before someone else dies. Sixteen-year-old Ashley Anowiak is swept into this storm of confusion by her special link with polar bears expressed through the magic of her art and the terror of her dreams. Led by a mysterious dancing shaman, she finds herself on the trail of Nanurluk, a legendary giant bear who has haunted her people for thousands of years. AshleyÕs bear hunt leads from the frozen catacombs beneath Nanurtalik to the treacherous ice fields capping the Arctic Ocean. As she closes in on the bear, AshleyÕs inner and outer worlds are torn apart, leaving her craving for solid ground to stand on. This is the story of a gifted northern youth struggling to find her true home and purpose in a fast-changing Arctic where climate, culture and environment seem to be crumbling all around her. ÒThe bookÉa psychological thriller, follows a half-Inuit girlÕs struggle to discover her hidden shamanic powers, set to the backdrop of violently changing weather in a fictional Northern community.Ó ÑYellowknifer ÒBastedoÕs passion for the north leaps off the page. A page-turnerÉShot-gunned with one nail-biting happening after another, from floods, to monster-storms, to bear attacks, even a jumbo jet hurtling out of the skyÉA fine piece of work from a northern writer.Ó ÑCBC Radio North ÒTakes reality a step further.Ó ÑNews North ÒThis is a stunning book which has as much to say to teens as it does to those of us who are over 50.Ó ÑSheryl McFarlane's Book Blog ÒAshley tells the story of On Thin Ice in a 16-year-old's voice, irreverent, impatient, wondering. Bastedo paints her both as the bored, aloof, know-it-all teenager many parents in the south will recognize, and also as a child of her environment and culture, respectful of her elders, enchanted by traditional drumming and so delighted by waking up to a blizzard that she runs outside in her pyjamas to celebrate. Bastedo doesn't ignore social problems in the modern Arctic, but they're peripheral to the main story - Ashley's father is a hard-working broadcaster but her friend Rosie's parents are violent drunks. In the same way, global warming isn't a main character in the book but it is always present, its effects always noticeable. This is being marketed as young adult fiction, but people of all ages can enjoy this book, and learn something from it.Ó ÑKim Covert, CP "On Thin Ice is both an exciting mystery and a touching lesson in the relationship between humans and the environment. Jamie Bastedo's writing demonstrates his love for the natural world and his passion for the conservation of Northern nature. His message is sure to resonate with young readers." ÑAnna Burnstein, Canadian Geographic |