When Allashua disobeys her parents and goes fishing on the sea ice, she has to use her wits to escape and to further trick the Qallupilluit when she promises to bring her brothers and sisters back to them.

About the Classic Munsch series:
Robert Munsch's award-winning books have become a staple on the bookshelves of families worldwide. His stories reflect the joys and challenges of everyday living, offering zany, yet utterly normal, experiences of family life. Munsch has sold over 40 million books in 20 countries and many languages, including French, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese. Beginning with Mud Puddle in 1979, Munsch continued captivating children and adults with stories like Thomas's Snowsuit, David's Father, I Have to Go!, and the classic Love You Forever.

This creature was invented much like others' hobgoblins, to frighten children into listening to their parents.

This version of an encounter with the Qallupilluit comes from Michael Kusugak, an Inuit man who was raised in the Arctic. He sent it to Robert Munsch, who had stayed with Kusugak's family while visiting Rankin Inlet in Canada's Northwest Territories.

The result is a dance with some of the greater truths that transcend all cultures. Alyssa A. Lappen


Teaches culture and morals.   January 8, 1999
 15 out of 15 found this review helpful

Colorful pictures of a cultural heritage tell a scary story that teaches the reader that "a promise is a promise." Allashua lives in the North West Territories where she goes ice fishing on lakes and at the ocean. Her parents warn her of the Qallupilluit, imaginary troll-like creatures that seize children who are out on the ocean ice without their parents. Allashua is caught and promises to return with her brothers and sisters. She must keep her promise but her parents must also protect them from the Qallupilluit. The story might scare some young children, but the ending is a happy one. The sentence "a promise is a promise," is repeated throughout the book. With the threat of the Qallupilluit, children learn not to disobey their parents, always to keep a promise, and where applicable, to not go onto the ice alone. It is a good story that gives insight into one small part of Inuit culture. A good book for multicultural themes.


A happy-ending kids book with a haunting twist and meaning.   September 24, 1997
 13 out of 14 found this review helpful

In this vividly illustrated children's book, an Inuit girl disobeys her parents and goes out on the dangerous sea ice. She is stolen by the dangerous Kallipilluit people who live under the ice. As they drag her under they tell her she will never see her parents or brothers or sisters again. To escape, she makes a rash promise to deliver her brothers and sisters to them. When she tells her parents about her promise after they warm her up from near-death, they figure out a way to honor their daughter's promise but still save their children from the Kallipilluit. And they succeed at rescuing their children without compromising their values. This story is a fable which teaches about Inuit culture while illustrating important psychological issues of trust, parental responsiblilty, and truth-telling. A savvy parent or therapist might well use this story as a starting point for a discussion of these issues. Or one can equally well just enjoy the story and pictures.