Alaska Center for the Book
National Book Festival
Alaska's Great Read 2021
Once again the Alaska Center for the book will participate in the National Book Festival. In a typical year the Library of Congress National Book Festival (NBF) is an annual literary event in Washington, DC that brings together best-selling authors and thousands of book fans for author talks, panel discussions, book signings and other activities. Every year the National Book Festival also hosts the Parade of States where each state is represented by a state library, a state center for the book, or humanities organization which showcases a local book or author. Given the ongoing Covid-19 situation, the Library of Congress has decided to host a virtual book festival and parade of the states called Road Map to Reading – Great Reads from Great Places.The link to the festival website is here. From that page you can click on Alaska on the map to go to information about the book chosen to represent our state at this year’s festival, Shanyaak’utlaax: Salmon Boy, and also find much more information about the festival.
- Link to Festival website.
- Engage with your favorite authors through virtual live events and on-demand videos
- Watch a national television special produced with PBS Books
- Listen to a podcast interview on the go from NPR
- Tune in to author interviews on Washington Post Live
- Attend an in-person ticketed event at the Library
- Discover new authors and books on the Festival website
- Learn about your national library and its collections
- Explore your local events and Great Reads from Great Places
- Share your experience on social media and invite others to join.
Shanyaak’utlaax: Salmon Boy WEB LINKS
Video of an animated reading of Shanyaak’utlaax: Salmon Boy in Tlingit with English subtitles here.
Purchase Shanaak’utlaax: Salmon Boy here.
Link to artist Michaela Goade’s website here.
Michaela Goade 2021 Caldecott Medal Winner talks about why she Loves Libraries here.
American Indian Youth Literature Award here.
Sealaska Heritage Institute Baby Raven Reads Video here.
Alaska Native Languages Map from the Alaska Native Language Archives here.
Map Citation: Krauss, Michael, Gary Holton, Jim Kerr, and Colin T. West. 2011. Indigenous Peoples and Languages of Alaska. Fairbanks and Anchorage: Alaska Native Language Center and UAA Institute of Social and Economic Research
Alaska’s Choice:
Great Reads from Great Places
“Shanyaak’utlaax: Salmon Boy” by Michaela Goade (illustrator)
Age: 4-7 years
After a Tlingit mother gives her son a dried piece of salmon with mold on the end, the child offends the Salmon People by flinging it away. They sweep him into the water and into their world, where they name him “Shanyaak’utlaax,” or “Salmon Boy.” “Shanyaak’utlaax: Salmon Boy” (Sealaska Heritage) comes from an ancient Tlingit story about respect for nature, animals and culture that was edited by Johnny Marks, Hans Chester, David Katzeek and Nora and Richard Dauenhauer.
Tlingit illustrator Michaela Goade was raised in the rainforest and on the beaches of Southeast Alaska, traditional Lingít Aaní (Tlingit land). She has worked with a number of indigenous authors and tribal organizations to create children’s books centered on native people and culture.