Kamik Takes the Lead

Adapted from the memories of Darryl Baker

Illustrated by Ali Hinch

Inhabit Media

978-1-77227-266-6

32 pp.

Ages 4-7

April 2020

Young readers first met the sled dog Kamik in Kamik: An Inuit Puppy Story (2012), and were then invited to follow the young pup as he got his first sled (Kamik's First Sled, 2015) and joined others in a dog team (Kamik Joins the Pack, 2016). Now he's all grown up and ready to take the lead.

From Kamik Takes the Lead by Darryl Baker, illus. by Ali Hinch

Jake has been training his own dog team for a year, under the tutelage of Akkak (uncle). Always ensuring plenty of rest and water, he lets the dogs run with his ATV for the summer. Then in the fall, they increase the dogs' load to teach them to trot rather than run full out. Jake learns to always check that the dogs are well fed and healthy, but also to treat them with affection. In the winter, Jake and Akkak take the team out on longer distances with a sled fully loaded with supplies.

From Kamik Takes the Lead by Darryl Baker, illus. by Ali Hinch

The team pulls well together and Kamik is a true leader, listening to and following commands, and Jake and Akkak know the team is ready for their first community race.

Darryl Baker, a teacher, is himself a dog musher and learned about raising dogs and training a team while growing up in Nunavut. His reminiscences about his dogs and training them are the basis for Kamik Takes the Lead and abound with the respect and affection he has for his animals. This story does not end with a win–in fact, the outcome of the race is never revealed–suggesting that it's not the end result that is paramount. What is most important is the process and the care Jake and his uncle extend to the dogs and the learning that Jake acquires that makes the endeavour a successful one.

From Kamik Takes the Lead by Darryl Baker, illus. by Ali Hinch

Kamik's story, in Books 1 through 4, all also available in Inuktitut, has been told by multiple authors, all based on the memories of community members in Nunavut. Likewise, several illustrators have helped bring Kamik to visual life. Though artist, Qin Leng, gave Kamik his original persona, Ali Hinch, another Toronto illustrator and designer, has replicated him in a similar style. In fact, with a quick look, I was sure the illustrator had not changed.  Checking out other books illustrated by Ali Hinch (here is the link for her website), it is evident that she honoured the original Kamik while staying true to her own style. The dogs may be a working team but they have spirit and individuality in their fur colour, morphologies and expression. They run, they rest, they eat and drink, and they are loved. Ali Hinch lets Kamik and his teammates take center stage but makes sure to demonstrate their relationships with Jake and Akkak and the land.

Let's launch Kamik Takes the Lead at the same time of year as Kamik and his teammates head out on their first official race and herald spring with cultural tradition, connection and kindness.

Kamik series of books

Kamik Joins the Pack

by Darryl Baker

Illustrated by Qin Leng

Inhabit Media

978-1-77227-125-7

32 pp.

Ages 4-9

October 2016

Like Inhabit Media’s original Kamik story (Kamit, An Inuit Puppy Story by Donald Uluadluak, 2012), and its sequel (Kamik’s First Sled by Matilda Sulurayok, 2015), Kamik Joins the Pack is adapted from the memories of the author, here from Darryl Baker, an Inuit teacher and dog musher who learned about raising dogs from his late brother-in-law Bernie Sulurayok.  In Kamik Joins the Pack, Jake now is learning from his uncle how to care for his dog, Kamik, to help the husky ultimately become part of a team.

From Kamik Joins the Pack 

by Darryl Baker

illus. by Qin Leng

Jake is proud to show his uncle how well behaved Kamik is, hopeful that his puppy would lead the boy’s own dogsled team one day.  Jake’s uncle, well-versed in raising dogs to be mushers, demonstrates to Jake that there is more to making a dog a musher than just putting a harness on.  He teaches him about keeping Kamik healthy by checking his nails and paws and ensuring that he is always well fed.  He also indicates that Jake must learns some additional skills like braiding and repairing leather for harnesses, repairing a sled and building shelter for his dogs if the boy is to become a successful musher like his uncle.  But, the ultimate test comes when Jake’s uncle adds Kamik to the end of his own pack to see how well the puppy fares in a trial run.

From Kamik Joins the Pack 

by Darryl Baker 

illus. by Qin Leng

There are many Inuit and children of northern climes for whom this story will resonate.  They will recognize the landscape, the dogs, the mushing, and the wisdom imparted by Jake’s uncle, lessons which author Darryl Baker undoubtedly learned from his accomplished brother-in-law. But every child will recognize the value of caring for one’s animals and the skill-building necessary to ensure their well-being.  Kamik Joins the Pack is both a story of lessons and hope, about a future and achievement that comes from doing things well and in small steps.  Darryl Baker makes sure that readers get this message, just as Jake’s uncle emphasizes the same to his nephew.  But while teaching important lessons, Kamik Joins the Pack has a light story-telling feel to it, more sharing than preaching, and much of this has to do with Qin Leng’s artwork.  Just as she illustrated Kamik, An Inuit Puppy Story and Kamik's First Sled, Qin Leng uses the almost weightless touch of fountain brush and ink with high-contrast colours against the snowy background to keep the story graceful and self-assured, not unlike Jake’s uncle’s teaching.  Kamik is growing up and young readers, both those familiar with his home and those of more southern habitats, will enjoy watching his progress.