The Pencil
Written by Susan Avingaq (Inuk) and Maren Vsetula (not Native)
Illustrated by Charlene Chua (not Native)
Published in 2019
Publisher: Inhabit Media
Reviewer: Jean Mendoza
Review Status: Highly Recommended
After Debbie and I published our list of the best books we read in 2024, I came across a forgotten gem that will have a place on our 2025 list, though it's an older title. The Pencil by Susan Avingaq and Maren Vsetula had been hiding between two larger books on my shelf for a few years. Published in 2019, it's one of those "little" stories that seems simple but offers a lot to think about.
Here's what the publisher, Inhabit Media in Nunavut (part of what's currently called Canada) says about it:
Susan loves watching her anaana write letters to people in other camps. Anaana has one precious pencil, and she keeps it safe in her box for special things. One afternoon, Anaana leaves the iglu to help a neighbour, and Susan and her siblings are left with their ataata. They play all their regular games but soon run out of things to do -- until Ataata brings out the pencil! As Susan draws and draws, the pencil grows shorter and shorter. What will Anaana think when she comes home?
This is one of AICL's "short and sweet" reviews -- a brief summary and four reasons we recommend the book.
Reason #1 to recommend The Pencil: Family situations children and adults can relate to.
Many a child has run out of things to do while waiting for something to happen. Many an adult has wondered what fun ideas they can offer next. Maybe that's less of a problem in these days of screens and apps, but even those can lose their charms after awhile.
It's too cold to go outdoors, and as the text and illustrations imply, the family does not have a lot of possessions. Susan reveals a truth that many families experience: "It was nice to spend some time with Ataata. Sometimes he even let us do things Anaana didn't let us do..." The illustration shows him telling a scary story.
To keep his children occupied after they exhaust their repertoire of indoor fun, Ataata has to think outside the box -- or in this case, inside the box of Anaana's special things. He takes out her only pencil and last sheet of paper.
Those two precious objects open up a world of engagement. Susan, Rebecca, and Peter enchant each other and Ataata with their drawings. I especially like the way the authors express Susan's delight as she begins to draw.
When Anaana returns, she's dismayed at first to see what happened to her pencil. (I could recall similar feeling, arriving home and seeing what our crew had been up to.) She reminds the family, "We won't be able to get another until we return to the trading post" -- which obviously is not something they can do every day. But Anaana also sees what a positive experience it was for them. She smiles, praises their drawings, and is glad they had a good time.
Reason #2: The storytelling -- words and pictures
The Pencil is based on Susan Avingaq's childhood experiences. Contemporary sources I found say that iglus aren't used much as homes any more, but they remain an important part of Inuit cultural history.
The plot and setting may seem uncomplicated, but the storytelling -- text and illustrations together -- feels masterful. The narrator and the other characters are very likable. Subtle details in the illustrations and text convey important details. An ulu, a specialized knife, is shown. One of their sled dogs who is outside wants Anaana's attention when she leaves the iglu, and when she returns. These are not indoor dogs. The children wear what might seem like a lot of clothing for people who are indoors, and they warm their hands over a small, contained fire, suggesting a cool indoor temperature.
Few other furnishings are depicted. The pencil commands the reader's attention on the pages where it appears, just as it holds the attention of the characters. The end papers are also part of the story, featuring child-like drawings the three siblings showed their mother.
The narrator says, "Our iglu was a very cozy place. We didn't have much, so our parents told us to use what we had wisely," but there is no sense that the family is deprived. The illustrations are full of joy, comfort, and affection. And I love the final illustration: a full moon shines down on the small community of iglus, their ice windows glowing in the night.
The story ends with the narrator remarking that "something as small as a pencil" had brought the family joy. She says she would always remember Anaana's reminder to use things wisely and take care of what they did have.
Reason #3: "Food for thought"
This is a story about a resourceful family. Anaana's absence is an aspect of the community's resourcefulness -- women who know about having babies are a resource for women who are having them. Susan and her siblings use all their play resources (dolls, games) to keep themselves entertained while she's gone, and Ataata resourcefully produces the pencil and paper just in time.
Teachers or caregivers sharing this story could ask children about times when they have been resourceful.
What might they do for fun if they had to stay indoors and not go anywhere? What if they had no phones or screens? What might they need to do to get along with the people with them?
The narrator makes two key points at the end of the story: that small, simple things can bring much joy, and that it's important to wisely use the things we have. People accustomed to a society of Plenty (perhaps Too Much), may think Susan and her family have "too little." It would be interesting to ask elementary-age kids to talk about small things that have brought them happiness, and about what "enough", "a lot" and "too little/few" mean to them.
For an expanded perspective on those ideas, Richard Van Camp's wonderful May We Have Enough to Share would be a good companion book.
Reason #4: The potential for further research and learning
Sharing The Pencil with children outside of an Arctic environment might require laying some groundwork. I have the impression that curricula in Canada include factual information about Inuit culture and history, but many children in the US may not have access to such knowledge. In fact, they may be exposed to stereotypes and misinformation instead. There's a teacher's guide for grades K-3 that looks very helpful.
The glossary at the back defines and gives pronunciations for Inuktitut words used in the story, such as qulliq (oil-burning lamp) and inuksuit (traditional stone marker). You could also introduce some other children's books with reliable information about life in the Arctic, such as How to Build an Iglu and Qamutiik: Inuit Tools and Techniques (by Solomon Awa) or Inuksiutiit: Inuit Tools. Both are published by Inhabit Media, and provide stereotype-free facts about items depicted in The Pencil.
Related activities could include drawing with pencils, and acting out the story. This is one of those books that makes me wish to be back in the classroom!
The Pencil was published shortly before the COVID pandemic. I can imagine it brightened the days for children and families homebound during the worst of it, and would be an inspiration now for those stuck indoors because of winter weather. Teachers, librarians, parents -- get this book and the others I mentioned, and enjoy them with the kids!
