The North is a place of extremes with its harsh climate and its exquisite beauty, where one calls to mind vast expanses of snow, the aurora borealis shimmering in the sky, and the herds of caribou congregating by the thousands, their migration an Arctic ballet. In Freddie the Flyer you see it all through enchanting images that illuminate the extraordinary life of Fred Carmichael, the first Indigenous Arctic pilot.
The story is structured as a calendar year in the Arctic, with each segment representing one month and one part of Carmichael’s life. Starting in January, we see Freddie, a child enamoured of planes doing everything he can to realise his dream of becoming a pilot even though his “… dream felt bigger than the whole Arctic.” Determined to fly, he earns money at various jobs and saves up for lessons, eventually having enough to go to the big city to learn. The passing months detail the changing of the seasons and the landscape as Carmichael ages; now a pilot, he returns to the North where he experiences the beauties and the dangers of adventuring in the Arctic, all while using his skills to help where he can. With a career spanning nearly seventy years, Carmichael’s devotion to the land and its people is clear.
Written by Fred Carmichael and Danielle Metcalf-Chenail, this inspiring story paired with Audrea Loreen-Wulf’s illustrations ties Carmichael intimately to the place where he lived, worked, and dreamed. Gwich’in and Inuvialuktun terms are given for the months of the year with a wonderful glossary accompanied by a pronunciation guide that gives the meaning of each name. January, for instance, is Videetoh Goojìidhàt in Gwich’in, meaning “Hard month to get over” and Hiqiññatchiaq in Inuvialuktun, meaning “The new sun.” The Gwich’in and Inuvialuktun terms help to give perspective to what it means to live in the North.
An empowering story, Carmichael’s journey to becoming a pilot illustrates the importance of dreams. “Freddie’s flying dreams grew up along with him and were now as big as the sky.”
FREDERICK “FREDDIE” CARMICHAEL split his childhood between the trapline and the town of Aklavik, Northwest Territories (NWT). He worked hard to become the first Indigenous commercial pilot in the Arctic, founded multiple aviation companies and has served the people of the Mackenzie Delta in the air and as a leader and Elder. Fred is a Member of the Order of Canada and Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame, and he holds an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Saskatchewan. Fred still flies his Cessna 170 from his home in Inuvik, NWT, where he lives with his wife, Miki, and their dog, Shadow. This is his first book.
DANIELLE METCALFE-CHENAIL is the author of several books about aviation and reconciliation, including the picture book Alis the Aviator: An ABC Aviation Adventure. She has cherished her visits to the Western Arctic and was Writer in Residence at Berton House in Dawson City, Yukon. Danielle lives by the sea in Nova Scotia/Mi’kma’ki with her young family. www.daniellemc.com
Artist AUDREA LOREEN-WULF was born in the Tuktoyaktuk area and lived there as a young child. She now lives in Salmon Arm, BC. She expresses her deep love for the North through her paintings.
- Publisher : Tundra Books (Oct. 24 2023)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 32 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1774880806
- ISBN-13 : 978-1774880807
