Northern Lights: the Soccer Trails

This award winning picture book is the story of Kataujaq, a young girl living in Canada's arctic who loses her mother to a sudden illness. Kauaujaq greatly misses her mother, and several years pass with her dealing with her grief on her own. It is explained that the people of her village like to play soccer out on the sea ice under the moonlight, using a caribou skin ball stuffed with moss and fur. Her grandmother tells her that the thousands of thin strands of light moving about in the northern lights above them are really the souls of those that have passed on, playing soccer with a huge, frozen walrus head. This greatly consoles Kataujak as she feels her mother's presence, and no longer feels as lonely.Full of Canadian content, the text and illustrations realistically convey many aspects of life in Canada's north. Highly recommended as a read-aloud for children in grades 1-2.

Kid loved the story! Good way to find peace in a grieving situation.