Assessment:
Plot/Idea: This snappy YA novel follows the clever 10-year-old Ariel, an unflagging geologist who travels to the Arctic Circle with her mother and dog, Champ, to take on a malfunctioning borehole threatening a caribou population in Canada.
Prose: Zaleski infuses the prose with a light touch of humor, ferrying readers through a story that is entertaining, a bit suspenseful, and vividly depicted.
Originality: There are many YA books with clever heroines, but there are none whose heroines are brilliant young geologists with roots in the Blackfoot tribe. Ariel's adventures take place on Inuit land, allowing readers a glimpse into Inuit culture along the way.
Character/Execution: Ariel will be an instant hit with readers, as she is both sweet and smart, immediately recognizable as a lively, discerning kid (her first word was "igneous"). Zaleski paints Ariel's grandfather Naaáhsa in wise, perceptive strokes as well, allowing his character to engage in teaching moments with her throughout.
Date Submitted: June 07, 2024
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Zaleski's novel blends a charming middle grade outing with an educational dive into geology and the scientific method. The work is quickly paced, fun, and well suited for readers that are just as curious as young Ariel.
Prose: The prose style is upbeat, accessible, and age-appropriate. The work integrates scientific data in a manner that is engaging, but can potentially outweigh the more organic storytelling elements.
Originality: Zaleski's inclusion of native/indigenous people in this novel is extremely notable. On top of Ariel's grandfather being from the Blackfoot tribe, her entire geological mission takes place in an Inuit community. This introduces readers to history and terminology previously unknown to them, in addition to the integration of geology.
Character/Execution: As she gets to work with a dream mentorship program, experience a new environment, and a new culture, Ariel's passion for both geology and learning new things is contagious. Additionally, Zaleski's side characters are well developed, including her dog, Champ, who even embarks on his own little discovery journey.
Date Submitted: August 22, 2023
Honorable Mention: Travels With Ariel - What's Up in Baker Lake?
by Laurie Zaleski
comments the judges made about Travels With Ariel - What's Up in Baker Lake?
"This excerpt from a novel hooked the reader with the main character (Ariel), a young girl passionate about the geological sciences and how that was interconnected to her native people's land and mineral rights. It is filled with dynamic writing, geological facts, and cultural information about the native peoples of the Little Rocky Mountains. It left the reader wanting to know more about young Ariel and her geological journal as a native young woman."
Reviewed by Amy Raines for Readers’ Favorite
Ariel is an energetic, science-minded ten-year-old girl who loves geology. She and her Akita, named Champ, love going from place to place and discovering geological wonders. She delves into the culture of the people and places she learns about on the way. She loves learning new things that she can take back to her grandfather, such as the video streaming of Cati the Caribou’s journey after she is released back into the wild. Her mother supports Ariel’s adventures in science with an organization called HER, which stands for Headquarters of Environmental Resolution. She goes with her daughter to encourage her to learn about different cultures. What kind of science will Ariel discover on her adventures? How does Champ help out on these journeys? Discover more in Travels With Ariel: What’s Up in Baker Lake by Laurie Anne Zaleski.
Travels With Ariel: What’s Up in Baker Lake by Laurie Anne Zaleski is a wonderfully inspiring story about a little girl who loves science so much that she goes with her mother to learn about different locations and cultures. The characters are unique and include many individuals that any child with a scientific mind will love to read about. I love how HER sends Ariel messages that lead her to the following location for a specific mission starting with the Arctic Circle. I also love how each story has key terms with meanings that help us understand the story, by defining words we may not know. I recommend this educational story to anyone with young children who love adventurous tales with a scientific edge.
Comments the judges made about Travels With Ariel - What's Up in Baker Lake?
"This excerpt from a novel hooked the reader with the main character (Ariel), a young girl passionate about the geological sciences and how that was interconnected to her native people's land and mineral rights. It is filled with dynamic writing, geological facts, and cultural information about the native peoples of the Little Rocky Mountains. It left the reader wanting to know more about young Ariel and her geological journal as a native young woman."
