Brock and Becca: Navigate Nunavut

By Lois W. Marlatt

Brock thought he was going on another exciting vacation to Nunavut. It turned out this holiday was for adults only. Brock and Becca had to stay home. However, with the use of daily diaries and his parents’ photographs and descriptions, the extreme north above the Arctic Circle and the animals that live there became very real. His parents saw polar bears, muskoxen, caribou, whales, walrus, seals, and many other animals and birds. Each animal they saw had a story about it. The visits to the Inuit villages were a delight for Mom and Dad. This is a land few people get to see so it is an exciting place to read about, even if you may not get there. Your children will learn about Canada while being entertained with interesting and exciting stories in the Brock and Becca series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Books for Pleasure
• Release date: Oct 5, 2014
• ISBN: 9781553491095

Book preview

BROCK AND BECCA

NAVIGATE

NUNAVUT

Written By Lois W. Marlatt

Illustrated By Gil Agis

Copyright Lois W. Marlatt 2013

All rights reserved

ISBN # 978-1-55349-109-5

Published By Books for Pleasure at Smashwords

CHAPTER 1

I ran into Becca’s room. I was excited. We’re going on vacation, I shouted.

Becca was seated on the floor changing her doll’s dress.

She looked up at me. How do you know that? she asked.

Mom wants to have a family meeting after supper. Every time she does that, it is always to tell us we are going on vacation.

I don’t think so, Brock, Becca said. School will be starting soon and Mom likes us to be there.

That’s what makes it so good. We are going away and we’ll miss school!

I don’t think so, Becca said again, shaking her head.

I turned around and stomped out of her room. What did Becca know? She is only six and still plays with her dumb doll, Krissy. I’m almost nine and the smart one.

I ate my supper as quickly as I could without getting into trouble for gulping my food. Mom has a thing about that.

Finally, it was time for the family meeting. Dad had the atlas out which meant we really will be going on a vacation. He always finds where we are going in the atlas so he can show us how far it is from home.

I made a face at Becca, but she didn’t care.

Maybe she will stay home and go to school. That would be nice.

I have some news for you, Mom said.

I held my breath.

As you know it will soon be our tenth wedding anniversary. It is a special one, so we are going on a trip.

I couldn’t hold it back. Great, I shouted.

Mom looked at me. Dad and I are going on a trip and you and Becca will be staying home and going to school.

You’re leaving us at home! I couldn’t believe it.

That’s when Becca made a face at me.

I ignored her. It was Mom I had to talk to.

How can we stay home alone? I asked.

You won’t be alone, Mom replied. Grandma will be coming to stay with you and I want you both to be very good. School will be starting, and I don’t want you to miss any of it.

The first day is very important, Becca said, and she sounded just like Mom.

Mom laughed and said, Yes it is, Becca.

I saw nothing to laugh about. My parents were going on a vacation without me. This had never happened before.

I can miss school. I’m good in school. I may have sounded like a big baby, but how could they go on a vacation without me?

Brock, you couldn’t come on this vacation even if there wasn’t any school because it is for adults only, Mom explained.

We could go someplace else that isn’t for adults only.

Brock, we went on a family holiday this summer and now it is our turn to get away by ourselves, Mom said. You love Grandma and she will be good to you both. I’m sure you will have a lot of fun with her.

Once you hear where we are going, you probably wouldn’t want to go anyway, Dad said. There would be nothing for you and Becca to do.

Dad opened the atlas at a page showing a map of Canada and he pointed to the north.

We have been to the Yukon, he said. Next to it is the Northwest Territories and to the east of it is a huge chunk of land called Nunavut. Very few people live there. Most of those who do, stay along the coast line. Your Mom and I are going with other adults on a ship that will take us from the west to the east through a waterway called the North West Passage.

But I’ve been on a ship before, I said. Remember we all went on a tall ship and we sailed on the St. Lawrence and Saguenay Rivers and I wasn’t sea sick.

I wasn’t giving up, but where was Becca when her brother needed some help. She hadn’t said more than a word or two. Instead, she just sat there and played with her doll, Krissy.

Yes Brock, I do remember our time on the sailing ship, Caledonia. You were a good sailor, Mom admitted.

Dad messed my hair, which he knows I hate, so I shrugged my shoulders.

Brock, he said, there is one more reason you cannot go. You have not been to university. This trip was advertised in the different university magazines for people who have graduated. A friend of your mother’s from school read it and told your mother about it. She and her husband are going, and we decided to go as well.

I think we have talked about this enough for tonight, Mom said. I’ll just show them the picture I have of the ship we will be going on.

It’s big! Becca said.

Now she was talking, but it was too late. I was going to school instead