The Moose of Ewenki

The Moose of Ewenki, a story about the Indigenous Reindeer Ewenki people who live in the mountains of Inner Mongolia, highlights the Ewenki’s traditional way of life. This is also a story of the unlikely friendship between a man and a moose.

Out on an all-night hunt, Gree Shek shoots a moose, unintentionally leaving a baby calf born out of season on its own. Feeling responsible for the loss of its mother, the old man allows the little moose to follow him back to camp. The two quickly develop a bond, and Gree Shek names his new companion Xiao Han, which translates to Little Moose.

Children will enjoy the story of the clumsy moose that quickly grows to be gigantic in size and does not quite fit into the confines of the human world. Blackcrane includes humorous stories of Xiao Han’s clumsiness, such as when he proves to be too large to fit comfortably in the sleeping tent and manages to knock it over. The two characters enjoy life together in the reindeer camp where Xiao Han seems to believe that he is one of the reindeer.

Soon Xiao Han becomes an adult moose while Gree Shek is showing signs of aging. When Gree Shek sprains his foot in the autumn, he must move to the village for assistance. Having never left Gree Shek’s side, Xiao Han follows the old man. This new life is challenging for the moose as dogs, thinking that all moose are to be hunted, attack him, and villagers try to capture him and sell him to the zoo. Children will laugh at the story of how Xiao Han manages to consume too many bean cakes which cause him digestive problems that are resolved “with a huge PLOP”. As Gree Shek becomes weaker with age, he returns to the mountains with Xiao Han in order to return him to the forest as he can no longer watch over him. Sadly, Gree Shek is later found dead in the camp by some of the villagers.

Young children will find this story fascinating as they learn about the culture of the Reindeer Ewenki people. Learning about different lands and the people who live and work there opens up the world to young children, introducing them to our diverse world. They will also learn about where reindeer actually come from. Although I enjoyed the story, I found the translation to be a little flat. Perhaps the original emotion and spirit of the author’s voice is not expressed.

Gerelchimeg Blackcrane is a bestselling children’s author from Inner Mongolia. He paints a beautiful story of an unlikely friendship in this book. Jiu Er’s lovely artwork complements the story in her depiction of the lush forest and the strength of the reindeer and moose. Her illustrations express both the humour and somberness of this story.