Building an Igloo

Armed with a camera and a keen eye, Steltzer went hunting in the Northern Arctic and captured on film a father-and-son team engaged in the ancient and fascinating Inuit art of igloo building. Each turn of the page reveals another step in the process, from pacing off a circle to the secret of the sturdy design (the blocks of snow are placed in an ascending spiral) as well as the finishing touches-such amenities as a window made of ocean ice and a ""porch"" for storage space. The crisp lines of snow and shadow are enhanced rather than diminished by Steltzer's medium (black-and-white photography); linked with the lean but informative prose, the end result is dramatic in its simplicity. Ages 5-8. (Sept.)