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De IJskinderen
Klokslag middernacht wordt de vijfjarige Finn Albedo bevroren gevonden in het stadspark op een voetstuk van ijs. De dokter zegt dat zijn hart nog klopt, maar niemand kan hem wakker maken. Finns grote zus Bianca, vermoedt dat het zilveren boek dat Finn uit de bibliotheek heeft geleend er iets mee te maken heeft. Maar niemand wil luisteren. Terwijl meer kinderen bevroren raken, realiseert Bianca zich dat ze iets moet doen…
270 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2023
20 people are currently reading
339 people want to read
About the author
M.G. Leonard
57 books313 followersM. G. Leonard is a writer of books, poems and screenplays. She has a first-class honours degree in English literature and an MA in Shakespeare Studies from Kings College London. She works as a freelance Digital Media Producer for clients such as the National Theatre, and Harry Potter West End, and previously worked as a Senior Digital Producer at the National Theatre, the Royal Opera House and Shakespeare’s Globe. She spent her early career in the music industry running Setanta Records, an independent record label, and managing bands, most notably The Divine Comedy. After leaving the music industry, she trained as an actor, dabbling in directing and producing as well as performing, before deciding to write her stories down. Maya lives in Brighton with her husband and two sons.
You can visit her online at www.mgleonard.com. Follow her on Twitter @MGLnrd.
You can visit her online at www.mgleonard.com. Follow her on Twitter @MGLnrd.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
November 3, 2023
In a Nutshell: A nice novel for middle graders, with a gripping storyline and a powerful message. Balances between scary and sweet. Good for the age group, though it has some disturbing content.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Story Synopsis:
Note: This review contains spoilers about the themes in use.
I adored the first half of the book. Right from the start, the story had me in its grip, with a feel of danger lurking on every page. The frozen children, the perplexing silver book, the strange tall man – all add the right level of chills to this already chilly story.
Midway, the story changed direction, entering a new realm (literally). This portion initially disappointed me, as the threat of the tale seemed to reduce in intensity when the opposite should have happened. Soon though, the danger quotient went back to its original level, and stayed so until the final quarter or so, which left me somewhat mixed feelings.
Bookish Yays:
❄ The combination of a modern-day global issue with some fantastical mythical characters. The story is very imaginative.
❄ The closeness of Bianca’s family, and the love-hate sibling relationship between Bianca and Finn. I really appreciate how parents are portrayed in a good manner in this MG work. It’s tiresome to see children’s books have at least one parent always being villainous.
❄ The ode to all things wintry. I loved reading about the snow, the frost, the hail, the animals, and many other elements that were perfect for this winter wonder-book.
❄ The mystery comes with its share of clues that our young little detective unravels well. Enjoyed the use of riddles.
❄ The inclusion of an environmental message, which I did not see coming at all but is a relevant theme.
❄ The loving testimonial to the power of books and stories, and the important role these play in our lives – mostly good, sometime bad.
❄ The steady pace and the action-oriented plot, that keeps things happening from the first page to the last.
❄ The allusions to several folk tales, fantasy characters, and classic short stories. While awareness of the original works isn’t required, it would help in admiring the references.
❄ Though set in December, the story focusses more on the solstice than on Christmas. The strong wintry undercurrent makes it a great option for the festive season, but the lack of religious affiliation also makes it suitable to those who don’t celebrate Christmas. (There is a small mention of Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Selfish Giant’. Don’t know if this would be considered by some readers as a ‘Christian’ reference. To me, it’s a classic story first.)
❄ Usually, kids in children’s books handle all dangers on their own and I always wonder why they don't ask for adult help. However, that aspect is covered well in this story, by showing how Bianca does try to enlist adult support but fails. I cherish this realistic depiction.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌨 The final quarter is what will make or break your experience with this book. I love books talking of the environment and climate change, so seeing it pop up unexpectedly was a surprise. The story does connect this theme nicely with the earlier events, so the radical transition of topics doesn’t seem *that* out of place. However, I think the book went a step too far as it almost absolves the villains just because they had good intent.
Bookish Nays:
💦 Though aimed at middle graders, some events might get too scary for the younger segment. There are kidnappings and death threats. There is also one mention of a frozen child possibly shattering - though this doesn’t happen, it is still an alarming possibility.
💦 I hated the epilogue. It felt farfetched, and too neat. I’d have rather ended the story with the call for change than by depicting the changes. It somehow negates the intent.
💦 I’d have liked a handy list of what exactly children could do to counter the effects of climate change. It’s very easy for us adults to say to kids, ‘Saving the planet is in your hands now’, but can we please also have a realistic actionable plan for them to implement, before putting such pressure on their young shoulders? This book would have done well to include some practical ways by which kids (and their families) could help mitigate global warming.
💦 The book has many (B&W) illustrations – a fact that I usually adore in middle grade fiction. However, I didn’t like most of the sketches. The characters in the drawings seem tranquil, even when they are depicted in a dangerous situation. Varying emotions on the characters’ faces would have suited such a story better.
All in all, though the finale and the illustrations were a bit disappointing to me, I still enjoyed most of this story. The message and the danger level gets a bit heavy-handed, but to older middle graders and younger teens, it would still be an interesting story.
Recommended to home and school libraries. Would suggest parents to read this first so that you can judge the scare factor for your child. The book will also work nicely for discussions.
4 stars. (The book was a solid 4.5 stars for me until the final section.)
My thanks to Macmillan Children's Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Ice Children”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Story Synopsis:
Five-year-old Finn is found in the park at dawn on 1st December. He is alive, but completely frozen, standing on a pedestal of ice with a serene smile on his face. His sister, eleven-year-old Bianca, suspects a mysterious silver book that Finn had borrowed from the library the day before, to be somehow connected to his current state. But the book is nowhere to be found, and the mysterious tall stranger in a dark hat, who was watching the events in the park from a distance, has also vanished. The next day brings some horrid news – two more frozen children have been discovered. No adult believes Bianca’s claims about the silver book, which means that she has to save Finn and the other kids herself.
The story comes to us mostly in the limited third person perspective of Bianca.
Note: This review contains spoilers about the themes in use.
I adored the first half of the book. Right from the start, the story had me in its grip, with a feel of danger lurking on every page. The frozen children, the perplexing silver book, the strange tall man – all add the right level of chills to this already chilly story.
Midway, the story changed direction, entering a new realm (literally). This portion initially disappointed me, as the threat of the tale seemed to reduce in intensity when the opposite should have happened. Soon though, the danger quotient went back to its original level, and stayed so until the final quarter or so, which left me somewhat mixed feelings.
Bookish Yays:
❄ The combination of a modern-day global issue with some fantastical mythical characters. The story is very imaginative.
❄ The closeness of Bianca’s family, and the love-hate sibling relationship between Bianca and Finn. I really appreciate how parents are portrayed in a good manner in this MG work. It’s tiresome to see children’s books have at least one parent always being villainous.
❄ The ode to all things wintry. I loved reading about the snow, the frost, the hail, the animals, and many other elements that were perfect for this winter wonder-book.
❄ The mystery comes with its share of clues that our young little detective unravels well. Enjoyed the use of riddles.
❄ The inclusion of an environmental message, which I did not see coming at all but is a relevant theme.
❄ The loving testimonial to the power of books and stories, and the important role these play in our lives – mostly good, sometime bad.
❄ The steady pace and the action-oriented plot, that keeps things happening from the first page to the last.
❄ The allusions to several folk tales, fantasy characters, and classic short stories. While awareness of the original works isn’t required, it would help in admiring the references.
❄ Though set in December, the story focusses more on the solstice than on Christmas. The strong wintry undercurrent makes it a great option for the festive season, but the lack of religious affiliation also makes it suitable to those who don’t celebrate Christmas. (There is a small mention of Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Selfish Giant’. Don’t know if this would be considered by some readers as a ‘Christian’ reference. To me, it’s a classic story first.)
❄ Usually, kids in children’s books handle all dangers on their own and I always wonder why they don't ask for adult help. However, that aspect is covered well in this story, by showing how Bianca does try to enlist adult support but fails. I cherish this realistic depiction.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌨 The final quarter is what will make or break your experience with this book. I love books talking of the environment and climate change, so seeing it pop up unexpectedly was a surprise. The story does connect this theme nicely with the earlier events, so the radical transition of topics doesn’t seem *that* out of place. However, I think the book went a step too far as it almost absolves the villains just because they had good intent.
Bookish Nays:
💦 Though aimed at middle graders, some events might get too scary for the younger segment. There are kidnappings and death threats. There is also one mention of a frozen child possibly shattering - though this doesn’t happen, it is still an alarming possibility.
💦 I hated the epilogue. It felt farfetched, and too neat. I’d have rather ended the story with the call for change than by depicting the changes. It somehow negates the intent.
💦 I’d have liked a handy list of what exactly children could do to counter the effects of climate change. It’s very easy for us adults to say to kids, ‘Saving the planet is in your hands now’, but can we please also have a realistic actionable plan for them to implement, before putting such pressure on their young shoulders? This book would have done well to include some practical ways by which kids (and their families) could help mitigate global warming.
💦 The book has many (B&W) illustrations – a fact that I usually adore in middle grade fiction. However, I didn’t like most of the sketches. The characters in the drawings seem tranquil, even when they are depicted in a dangerous situation. Varying emotions on the characters’ faces would have suited such a story better.
All in all, though the finale and the illustrations were a bit disappointing to me, I still enjoyed most of this story. The message and the danger level gets a bit heavy-handed, but to older middle graders and younger teens, it would still be an interesting story.
Recommended to home and school libraries. Would suggest parents to read this first so that you can judge the scare factor for your child. The book will also work nicely for discussions.
4 stars. (The book was a solid 4.5 stars for me until the final section.)
My thanks to Macmillan Children's Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Ice Children”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
February 13, 2023
7.14 on CAWPILE
January 12, 2024
De IJskinderen is een fijn winters boek. Op 1 december komt het eerste ijskind tevoorschijn in het park, het jongetje lijkt een ijsstandbeeld, maar zijn hart klopt nog wel. Het jongetje is Finn. Zijn zus Bianca vindt het maar vreemd en gaat op onderzoek uit.
Al snel ontdekt ze wat Finn heeft gedaan voor/waardoor hij in een ijsbeeld veranderde. Hij las een zilveren boek. Alleen niemand wil haar geloven… Dus Bianca gaat in haar eentje verder zoeken. Ze ontdekt al snel wie er achter zit, maar hóé is niet meteen duidelijk.
Bianca ontdekt een andere wereld, beleeft meerdere avonturen en maakt nieuwe vrienden. MG Leonard heeft een fijne schrijfstijl, het leest makkelijk, de schrijfstijl is ook omschrijvend. De omgeving waar Bianca terecht komt is meteen duidelijk. Natuurlijk ondersteunen de illustraties het verhaal ook. Het boek is goed zelf te lezen, maar ook fijn voor te lezen door de hoofdstukken die niet te lang zijn.
IJskinderen is een verhaal waarin de liefde voor de winter centraal staat.
Het boek is voor kinderen van 9 jaar en ouder om zelf te lezen, aanrader ook zeker voor volwassenen! Voorlezen kan eventueel wel eerder.
Als laatste wil ik benoemen dat ik de cover echt prachtig vind! Meerdere elementen uit het verhaal komen terug in de illustraties op de voor- en achterkant. Een pareltje in de kast.
Bedankt voor dit recensie exemplaar @uitgeverijdefontein
Al snel ontdekt ze wat Finn heeft gedaan voor/waardoor hij in een ijsbeeld veranderde. Hij las een zilveren boek. Alleen niemand wil haar geloven… Dus Bianca gaat in haar eentje verder zoeken. Ze ontdekt al snel wie er achter zit, maar hóé is niet meteen duidelijk.
Bianca ontdekt een andere wereld, beleeft meerdere avonturen en maakt nieuwe vrienden. MG Leonard heeft een fijne schrijfstijl, het leest makkelijk, de schrijfstijl is ook omschrijvend. De omgeving waar Bianca terecht komt is meteen duidelijk. Natuurlijk ondersteunen de illustraties het verhaal ook. Het boek is goed zelf te lezen, maar ook fijn voor te lezen door de hoofdstukken die niet te lang zijn.
IJskinderen is een verhaal waarin de liefde voor de winter centraal staat.
Het boek is voor kinderen van 9 jaar en ouder om zelf te lezen, aanrader ook zeker voor volwassenen! Voorlezen kan eventueel wel eerder.
Als laatste wil ik benoemen dat ik de cover echt prachtig vind! Meerdere elementen uit het verhaal komen terug in de illustraties op de voor- en achterkant. Een pareltje in de kast.
Bedankt voor dit recensie exemplaar @uitgeverijdefontein
November 1, 2023
A fun, wintery adventure with an important message about climate change. However, this very much felt like a story I’ve read, watched and heard many times before. It didn’t feel like anything all that new and I felt at times the message about how children are the only people who have the power to save the world was a little heavy handed. That being said, I appreciated what the author was saying but it sadly didn’t wow me as much as her precious books.
January 31, 2024
Ergens tussen een klassiek sprookje en een moderne klimaatroman in, is daar De IJskinderen. Het moraaltje is flink aanwezig, maar soms maakt dat niet uit als de rest van een boek - een avontuur in de sneeuw over verhalen die meer dan verhalen zijn, broers en zussen en magische dieren - zo heerlijk wegleest.
“Verhalen kúnnen de wereld veranderen. Ze veranderen de toekomst door de geesten en harten te veranderen van mensen die ze lezen en ze horen. Dat zijn krachtige betoveringen.”
“Verhalen kúnnen de wereld veranderen. Ze veranderen de toekomst door de geesten en harten te veranderen van mensen die ze lezen en ze horen. Dat zijn krachtige betoveringen.”
December 23, 2023
A fast read full of icy scenes, skating polar bears and some rather mischeivous magical children. It has a strong message regarding climate change and the environment that feels a bit heavy handed towards the conclusion, but overall I think it's an enjoyable read for children over the festive period.
December 21, 2023
reading/finishing this book on december 21st is very satisfying considering the ending also takes place on december 21st
December 18, 2022
Listened via Audible (an Audible original)
The Details:
Narrated by an ensemble cast
Unabridged
"When you opened the cover of a book, you stepped into another world"
Oh my gosh, now this was an audiobook!! I used to listen to these tapes when I was little, which were essentially audiobooks before that was a thing, and this is how I remembered it! Like a TV show but for your ears!
Music, ensemble cast, sound effects - oh I loved it!
It was giving modern day Ice Queen and that's a story I've always been enchanted and haunted by (may have actually been one of the Tales I listened to on those tapes). It also reminded me of The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury and Northen Lights by Phillip Pullman.
It had some gentle but thought provoking ideas about global warming, with the ending of winter and all that thrives in that time.
It gave me the face tingles - pute enjoyment. Oh I absolutely adored this, so so much!
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
The Details:
Narrated by an ensemble cast
Unabridged
"When you opened the cover of a book, you stepped into another world"
Oh my gosh, now this was an audiobook!! I used to listen to these tapes when I was little, which were essentially audiobooks before that was a thing, and this is how I remembered it! Like a TV show but for your ears!
Music, ensemble cast, sound effects - oh I loved it!
It was giving modern day Ice Queen and that's a story I've always been enchanted and haunted by (may have actually been one of the Tales I listened to on those tapes). It also reminded me of The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury and Northen Lights by Phillip Pullman.
It had some gentle but thought provoking ideas about global warming, with the ending of winter and all that thrives in that time.
It gave me the face tingles - pute enjoyment. Oh I absolutely adored this, so so much!
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
October 6, 2023
Delightful in some ways, but the heavy and emotional indoctrination of children bothered me enough that I reduced my rating. "Peter Pan and Wendy" and "The Selfish Giant" bothered me for the same reason, but they did not bother me as much as this one did.
December 14, 2022
Absolutely wonderful!!! Think of Lyra in Narnia with a global warming understory. It’s actually a modern retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen. I listened on audible and really hope this will be available on other platforms.
December 6, 2022
This audiobook has been beautifully crafted to tell the story of a winter under threat. Winter is dying, and so Jack Frost, Pitter and Patter create silver books to help save Jack Frost’s sister, the Ice Queen Ishilde.
The story focuses around a girl called Bianca whose brother has found one of these books and has been turned to ice, but with a bit of sheer determination, Bianca searches for a way to help save her brother and in turn save winter itself.
The story focuses around a girl called Bianca whose brother has found one of these books and has been turned to ice, but with a bit of sheer determination, Bianca searches for a way to help save her brother and in turn save winter itself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2023
Bianca Albedo, like any big sister, thinks her five-year-old brother, Finn, is annoying! Then he disappears, leaving her parents devastated and Bianca knowing she has to do something. When he is found, a frozen statue, barely alive, she is determined to save him and the other children who continue to disappear.
A tall, strange, young man, and his companions, seem to have something to do with what has happened and, as Bianca follows the clues, she finds herself in a totally different world where nothing is quite as it seems. As she begins to work out what's happening, Bianca also realises she has very little time in which to achieve her goal and save her little brother.
This is a wonderful story with illustrations that compliment it in every way. Bianca, as a main protagonist, is instantly likeable, and although her quest is set in a fantasy world, it is both easy to understand and realistic with regard to its ultimate message.
There are strong environmental messages here relating to the threat global warming carries for all of us, but I would have liked the consequences for our planet through all four seasons to have been mentioned. With its beautiful writing, illustrations, and message, this story should become a family festive favourite to be read regularly in the run up to Christmas.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Macmillan Children’s Books, but the opinions expressed are my own. This was an absolute pleasure to read. It's in no way preachy, and I loved it.
A tall, strange, young man, and his companions, seem to have something to do with what has happened and, as Bianca follows the clues, she finds herself in a totally different world where nothing is quite as it seems. As she begins to work out what's happening, Bianca also realises she has very little time in which to achieve her goal and save her little brother.
This is a wonderful story with illustrations that compliment it in every way. Bianca, as a main protagonist, is instantly likeable, and although her quest is set in a fantasy world, it is both easy to understand and realistic with regard to its ultimate message.
There are strong environmental messages here relating to the threat global warming carries for all of us, but I would have liked the consequences for our planet through all four seasons to have been mentioned. With its beautiful writing, illustrations, and message, this story should become a family festive favourite to be read regularly in the run up to Christmas.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Macmillan Children’s Books, but the opinions expressed are my own. This was an absolute pleasure to read. It's in no way preachy, and I loved it.
November 28, 2023
Alleen al bij het zien van deze magische, winterse en bijzondere cover had het boek volledig mijn aandacht. Het verhaal heeft zo'n prachtige en uitnodigende cover, dat ik daardoor al betoverd was en niets liever wilde dan dit veelbelovende boek te gaan lezen. Uitgeverij de Fontein, super bedankt voor het recensie-exemplaar. Ik heb enorm hoge en goede verwachtingen.
Finn komt thuis met een zilveren boek dat hij uit de bibliotheek heeft geleend. Zijn zus Bianca wil er ook naar kijken, maar Finn wil het niet delen. Hierdoor krijgen de kinderen ruzie. Die nacht, wordt de vijfjarige Finn, op klokslag middernacht, bevroren in het stadspark gehuld onder ijs. De dokter is snel ter plaatse en constateert nog altijd een hartslag, maar niemand weet hoe ze Finn kunnen wekken. Iedere nacht raken er meer kinderen bevroren. Zus Bianca denkt dat het zilveren boek hier iets mee te maken heeft. Niemand wil naar haar luisteren, waarop Bianca besluit om zelf op onderzoek te gaan en het mysterie op te lossen.
Het is een ongelooflijk vlot, levendig en lekker geschreven jeugdverhaal. Het verhaal is geschikt voor lezers vanaf ongeveer 9 jaar. M.G. Leonard heeft een hele sprookjesachtige manier van schrijven en begint het verhaal dan ook op passende wijze, met Er was eens...
Het verhaal begint op het moment dat de vijfjarige Finn bevroren wordt aangetroffen in het stadspark. Hierdoor wordt je als lezer direct nieuwsgierig en wordt je meegezogen in het magische en wonderbaarlijke verhaal.
Het verhaal is geschreven vanuit een auctoriale vertelperspectief dat voornamelijk het hoofdpersonage Bianca volgt. Hierdoor krijg je het gevoel van iemand die het sprookje aan je voorleest. De personages zijn heel divers en uitgesproken neergezet. Hierdoor kan je de personages gemakkelijk van elkaar onderscheiden en zijn ze allemaal uniek. Ook de winterdieren die de kinderen krijgen zodra ze in het IJssparrenbos belanden is mooi gedaan.
Het verhaal heeft een sprookjesachtig, magisch en origineel verhaal. Het verhaal kent door de magie onverwachte wendingen en gebeurtenissen die ervoor zorgen dat het een spannend en avontuurlijk verhaal is. Het is een vlot geschreven verhaal, waarin het tempo wel lekker hoog ligt en er veel gebeurtenissen plaatsvinden. Daarbij weet M.G. Leonard ook nog een mooie boodschap over de klimaatverandering in het verhaal te stoppen. Niet alleen de cover is prachtig geïllustreerd maar ook gedurende het verhaal zijn prachtige illustraties van Penny Neville-Lee te zien die het verhaal verrijken en versterken.
De ijskinderen is een enorm mooi, magische en avontuurlijk winterverhaal. Het is heerlijk vlot en levendig geschreven en heeft een hoog sprookjesgehalte. Bij dit verhaal droom je echt even weg en reis je met Biana mee naar het IJssparrenbos waar ze de kinderen en de winter probeert te redden. Dit is echt een verhaal waarvan je zegt... wauw!! Absoluut een aanrader!
Finn komt thuis met een zilveren boek dat hij uit de bibliotheek heeft geleend. Zijn zus Bianca wil er ook naar kijken, maar Finn wil het niet delen. Hierdoor krijgen de kinderen ruzie. Die nacht, wordt de vijfjarige Finn, op klokslag middernacht, bevroren in het stadspark gehuld onder ijs. De dokter is snel ter plaatse en constateert nog altijd een hartslag, maar niemand weet hoe ze Finn kunnen wekken. Iedere nacht raken er meer kinderen bevroren. Zus Bianca denkt dat het zilveren boek hier iets mee te maken heeft. Niemand wil naar haar luisteren, waarop Bianca besluit om zelf op onderzoek te gaan en het mysterie op te lossen.
Het is een ongelooflijk vlot, levendig en lekker geschreven jeugdverhaal. Het verhaal is geschikt voor lezers vanaf ongeveer 9 jaar. M.G. Leonard heeft een hele sprookjesachtige manier van schrijven en begint het verhaal dan ook op passende wijze, met Er was eens...
Het verhaal begint op het moment dat de vijfjarige Finn bevroren wordt aangetroffen in het stadspark. Hierdoor wordt je als lezer direct nieuwsgierig en wordt je meegezogen in het magische en wonderbaarlijke verhaal.
Het verhaal is geschreven vanuit een auctoriale vertelperspectief dat voornamelijk het hoofdpersonage Bianca volgt. Hierdoor krijg je het gevoel van iemand die het sprookje aan je voorleest. De personages zijn heel divers en uitgesproken neergezet. Hierdoor kan je de personages gemakkelijk van elkaar onderscheiden en zijn ze allemaal uniek. Ook de winterdieren die de kinderen krijgen zodra ze in het IJssparrenbos belanden is mooi gedaan.
Het verhaal heeft een sprookjesachtig, magisch en origineel verhaal. Het verhaal kent door de magie onverwachte wendingen en gebeurtenissen die ervoor zorgen dat het een spannend en avontuurlijk verhaal is. Het is een vlot geschreven verhaal, waarin het tempo wel lekker hoog ligt en er veel gebeurtenissen plaatsvinden. Daarbij weet M.G. Leonard ook nog een mooie boodschap over de klimaatverandering in het verhaal te stoppen. Niet alleen de cover is prachtig geïllustreerd maar ook gedurende het verhaal zijn prachtige illustraties van Penny Neville-Lee te zien die het verhaal verrijken en versterken.
De ijskinderen is een enorm mooi, magische en avontuurlijk winterverhaal. Het is heerlijk vlot en levendig geschreven en heeft een hoog sprookjesgehalte. Bij dit verhaal droom je echt even weg en reis je met Biana mee naar het IJssparrenbos waar ze de kinderen en de winter probeert te redden. Dit is echt een verhaal waarvan je zegt... wauw!! Absoluut een aanrader!
January 17, 2025
Reimagined Snow Queen with a contemporary message.
This starts chillingly (apt I know), with a child appearing one morning in the park, frozen. Alive but unmoving and unresponsive. The little boy is Biana's brother, 5 year old Finn.
The whole town is flummoxed, and worried. Especially when the next day there are two more children there.
Bianca realises that as well as her brother having a new library book before he left his bedroom, the other children also had the same sparkly silver book with them as well. But nobody will listen to her, and her search for the book is fruitless... until she overhears a conversation and decides she has to put herself in danger to save Finn and the others.
The search takes Bianca into a frozen winter wonderland where the reasons for the Ice Children gradually becomes apparent. Leaving Bianca to decide if she can help, if she should and just how can everyone be saved?
I was invested in this for the first half, then actually found myself a little turned off at the direction it took. That's just me though, I was enjoying the Hans Andersen story and possibly White Witch sinister overtones.
The story itself will hit a chord with readers, with issues they are aware of and care about.
I enjoyed the full cast reading of this, with various voices for the characters and atmospheric music making this a good choice for car journeys as an audiobook.
Leonard is a writer I admire, I've read a few now though this isn't my favourite. It's still a great idea using classic fairy tale staples and has that touch of magic that will go down well with the target market.
For ages 7-12.
With thanks to the publisher for providing a sample reading copy.
This starts chillingly (apt I know), with a child appearing one morning in the park, frozen. Alive but unmoving and unresponsive. The little boy is Biana's brother, 5 year old Finn.
The whole town is flummoxed, and worried. Especially when the next day there are two more children there.
Bianca realises that as well as her brother having a new library book before he left his bedroom, the other children also had the same sparkly silver book with them as well. But nobody will listen to her, and her search for the book is fruitless... until she overhears a conversation and decides she has to put herself in danger to save Finn and the others.
The search takes Bianca into a frozen winter wonderland where the reasons for the Ice Children gradually becomes apparent. Leaving Bianca to decide if she can help, if she should and just how can everyone be saved?
I was invested in this for the first half, then actually found myself a little turned off at the direction it took. That's just me though, I was enjoying the Hans Andersen story and possibly White Witch sinister overtones.
The story itself will hit a chord with readers, with issues they are aware of and care about.
I enjoyed the full cast reading of this, with various voices for the characters and atmospheric music making this a good choice for car journeys as an audiobook.
Leonard is a writer I admire, I've read a few now though this isn't my favourite. It's still a great idea using classic fairy tale staples and has that touch of magic that will go down well with the target market.
For ages 7-12.
With thanks to the publisher for providing a sample reading copy.
March 19, 2024
Dat De IJskinderen op zijn minst deels gebaseerd is op De Sneeuwkoningin, wordt erg duidelijk gemaakt. Hoor ik daar al mensen Let It Go neuriën? Er zitten heel wat verwijzingen naar het sprookje in.
Verder is het best een goed boek, maar het mist toch wel ergens een element van aantrekkingskracht en spanning dat in de reeks van Dader op het Spoor wel aanwezig is. Al bij al spreekt dit minder aan, en ik kan er niet goed de vinger op leggen waarom dat zo is. Misschien komt het omdat ik het vooral in het begin nogal vaag vond. Al dat geheime gedoe met die vier kinderen kwam wat te raar en te geforceerd over, naar mijn mening.
De vertaling is van Mariella Manfré en die is weer van goede kwaliteit. Het zal vast ook aan M.G. Leonard zelf te danken zijn, maar ik vond dat er een rijke vocabulaire in het boek zat. De personages klonken erg volwassen, en ook al is Bianca nog maar elf jaar, het stoorde in het geheel niet, ik vond het erg natuurlijk klinken.
Helaas blijven ook de personages een beetje vlak en heb ik me nooit echt aan iemand gehecht. Buiten Bianca is er feitelijk ook niemand die genoeg aanwezig is om beter te leren kennen. Trippel en Trappel maakten me trouwens onnozel met al hun gerijm! De band met die totems was wel erg tof.
6,3/10
Verder is het best een goed boek, maar het mist toch wel ergens een element van aantrekkingskracht en spanning dat in de reeks van Dader op het Spoor wel aanwezig is. Al bij al spreekt dit minder aan, en ik kan er niet goed de vinger op leggen waarom dat zo is. Misschien komt het omdat ik het vooral in het begin nogal vaag vond. Al dat geheime gedoe met die vier kinderen kwam wat te raar en te geforceerd over, naar mijn mening.
De vertaling is van Mariella Manfré en die is weer van goede kwaliteit. Het zal vast ook aan M.G. Leonard zelf te danken zijn, maar ik vond dat er een rijke vocabulaire in het boek zat. De personages klonken erg volwassen, en ook al is Bianca nog maar elf jaar, het stoorde in het geheel niet, ik vond het erg natuurlijk klinken.
Helaas blijven ook de personages een beetje vlak en heb ik me nooit echt aan iemand gehecht. Buiten Bianca is er feitelijk ook niemand die genoeg aanwezig is om beter te leren kennen. Trippel en Trappel maakten me trouwens onnozel met al hun gerijm! De band met die totems was wel erg tof.
6,3/10
November 24, 2023
De cover en titel van dit boek trokken me zo aan dat ik dit boek wel moest lezen. De IJskinderen is een avontuurlijk wintersprookje met een moraal. Hier en daar ligt de moraal er wel heel dik bovenop. Waardoor het verhaal soms wat geforceerd op me overkomt. Daarnaast vond ik de schrijfstijl hier en daar wat houterig, maar dat kan ook liggen aan de Nederlandse vertaling die ik las. Het volgende boek van deze auteur lees ik in het Engels. Al met al heb ik genoten van het winterse decor en de dierentotems.
January 3, 2024
A beautiful wintery story - perfectly told via audible with a range of character voices and sound effects, making it a real performance. Surprising and lovely, environmental messages! A great listen with the kids!
January 3, 2024
This was such a wonderful book!
December 1, 2024
CAWPILE 6.00
3.5 STARS
This was a fun Ice Queen retelling with modern elements such as global warming.
I'm not it's target audience but this was sweet and very festive.
3.5 STARS
This was a fun Ice Queen retelling with modern elements such as global warming.
I'm not it's target audience but this was sweet and very festive.
December 30, 2022
Wow! If you have children and are looking for a winter story, this was amazing. I listened to it on my own (no children required). It does have a bit that might be scary for young children, but will vary. I could see this being made into a film. Touches on reading, family relationships, community, winter and weather, and other important topics. Was a creative and enjoyable story and I had to recommend.
December 31, 2022
Really enjoyed this story.
It was interesting, well paced, well written…
But my confession is that the ending… which was very politically charged about ecology and climate change, while very reasonable and understandable it today’s times, just get bolted on the end to make a point rather than really closing the story. It’s a shame because it was a fun little story.
It was interesting, well paced, well written…
But my confession is that the ending… which was very politically charged about ecology and climate change, while very reasonable and understandable it today’s times, just get bolted on the end to make a point rather than really closing the story. It’s a shame because it was a fun little story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2022
I absolutely loved this fresh take on my childhood all time favourite fairytale written by the legendary Hans Christian Anderson- The Snow Queen.
The characters in the modern retelling were great and how the Snow Queen managed to reach the children was genius.
M.G Leonard has done a bloody fantastic job and listening to it in a full cast audiobook was a spectacular experience. It truly is a phenomenal experience with all the sounds and cinematic sound effects.
Absolutely fantastic experience that I thoroughly enjoyed and cannot fault in the slightest. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook.
I would love to get my hands on a stunning copy of this version written by Leonard as I can only imagine it would be beautiful so I hope there is a collectors version available.
Highly recommended and I hope it becomes a favourite of many children for many years to come.
The characters in the modern retelling were great and how the Snow Queen managed to reach the children was genius.
M.G Leonard has done a bloody fantastic job and listening to it in a full cast audiobook was a spectacular experience. It truly is a phenomenal experience with all the sounds and cinematic sound effects.
Absolutely fantastic experience that I thoroughly enjoyed and cannot fault in the slightest. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook.
I would love to get my hands on a stunning copy of this version written by Leonard as I can only imagine it would be beautiful so I hope there is a collectors version available.
Highly recommended and I hope it becomes a favourite of many children for many years to come.
October 21, 2024
I know 1* is a bit harsh, but this story is really heavy handed on the eco stuff and quite emotionally manipulative, as well as hating on adults and strongly sympathising with the baddies, who kidnap children and freeze their hearts to steal them (their reason being, to save Winter, and they argue that the children give their hearts willingly -except the kids exhibit strong symptoms that smell clearly of mind-control).
'He gives [his heart] freely.' Jack to Bianca. But her brother is so under the Queen's influence that he doesn't even recognise his sister. It was so creepy and dodgy. It's definitely coercion or even mind control that has led her brother to offer his heart. Not willingness. Felt like a very disturbing affair, with all these children having been kidnapped and trapped and brainwashed. These baddies who have coerced these 200 children to sacrifice their hearts to save winter and keep what's-her-face alive, and they somehow get presented in a sympathetic way. And Bianca helps them in the end.
Jack argues they are not being cruel because the children have forgotten their past lives and they've given them an animal sidekick. He argues, they're 'happy' here; they'll die in the real world, but they'll live here forever.
The baddies don't face any consequences because they're shown as being in the right(!?), even if their methods aren't actually that effective. All Bianca says of their plan is that it won't work, because it will cause anger from the adults, rather than that they're in the wrong.
In terms of the adult-hating, adults are described as the problem and they need the kids to fix it all. Adults would never do anything sacrificial, they only destroy the world around them.
If the children don't do anything, if they don't give up their hearts then Winter will be gone forever. And all the life and balance that comes with it. The parents of all these children can't help or do anything. It's all basically on Bianca. She even has to intercede between humanity and Winter.
Oh, and all kids must become vegetarians or else the world will become too hot for any human to live here. Bit scary, huh?!
And to put the weight of the world and all it's problems surrounding pollution and climate change on the shoulders of kids is pretty irresponsible writing in my opinion. Children who read this are given all of the responsibility and no help towards a solution (except telling kids they need to become vegetarians, which is both debatable and overly simplistic). And the emotional manipulation is pretty strong, with letting go of their animals and being sad seeing Ishilde melt.
"There once was a time of harmony and it's up to us to bring it back."
I feel this will bring more anxiety than hope.
Also, some parents would like to know that there's essentially a non-binary kid.
I listened to the audio, so maybe having illustrations would have improved my opinion, but I can't get on board with the baddies being justified in their abduction and brainwashing of children, nor the way the author scares the reader with bearing the weight of the problems of climate change and hates on all adults in the process.
'He gives [his heart] freely.' Jack to Bianca. But her brother is so under the Queen's influence that he doesn't even recognise his sister. It was so creepy and dodgy. It's definitely coercion or even mind control that has led her brother to offer his heart. Not willingness. Felt like a very disturbing affair, with all these children having been kidnapped and trapped and brainwashed. These baddies who have coerced these 200 children to sacrifice their hearts to save winter and keep what's-her-face alive, and they somehow get presented in a sympathetic way. And Bianca helps them in the end.
Jack argues they are not being cruel because the children have forgotten their past lives and they've given them an animal sidekick. He argues, they're 'happy' here; they'll die in the real world, but they'll live here forever.
The baddies don't face any consequences because they're shown as being in the right(!?), even if their methods aren't actually that effective. All Bianca says of their plan is that it won't work, because it will cause anger from the adults, rather than that they're in the wrong.
In terms of the adult-hating, adults are described as the problem and they need the kids to fix it all. Adults would never do anything sacrificial, they only destroy the world around them.
If the children don't do anything, if they don't give up their hearts then Winter will be gone forever. And all the life and balance that comes with it. The parents of all these children can't help or do anything. It's all basically on Bianca. She even has to intercede between humanity and Winter.
Oh, and all kids must become vegetarians or else the world will become too hot for any human to live here. Bit scary, huh?!
And to put the weight of the world and all it's problems surrounding pollution and climate change on the shoulders of kids is pretty irresponsible writing in my opinion. Children who read this are given all of the responsibility and no help towards a solution (except telling kids they need to become vegetarians, which is both debatable and overly simplistic). And the emotional manipulation is pretty strong, with letting go of their animals and being sad seeing Ishilde melt.
"There once was a time of harmony and it's up to us to bring it back."
I feel this will bring more anxiety than hope.
Also, some parents would like to know that there's essentially a non-binary kid.
I listened to the audio, so maybe having illustrations would have improved my opinion, but I can't get on board with the baddies being justified in their abduction and brainwashing of children, nor the way the author scares the reader with bearing the weight of the problems of climate change and hates on all adults in the process.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2022
Cute magical middle grade polar fantasy. There’s a snow queen and Jack Frost and an ice palace with lots of wintery wildlife. I liked the story and how the author weaved in an important message about climate change. It was interesting hearing the story from the child’s perspective too with the parents not believing her about things
November 2, 2023
This book is the perfect winter fairytale which will sweep you into another world - the world of Winterton. This is a world where Winter rules. But where Winter is warming in one world, The Snow Queen begins to melt in this other magical place. And that must not be allowed to happen.
Full of dazzling illustrations by Penny Neville Lee, you too will be whisked off to that other world on a journey you will never forget.
At its core this is a book with an important message about global warming, about the shift in the seasons, about how we, each and every one of us, must make a difference.
This new fairytale will touch your heart. With elements reminiscent of Labyrinth (not so scary of course), the Snow Queen, Narnia and His Dark Materials, there’s a bewitching nostalgia about the brand new story. It’s comforting and enchanting.
Recommended reading with a hot chocolate!
Full of dazzling illustrations by Penny Neville Lee, you too will be whisked off to that other world on a journey you will never forget.
At its core this is a book with an important message about global warming, about the shift in the seasons, about how we, each and every one of us, must make a difference.
This new fairytale will touch your heart. With elements reminiscent of Labyrinth (not so scary of course), the Snow Queen, Narnia and His Dark Materials, there’s a bewitching nostalgia about the brand new story. It’s comforting and enchanting.
Recommended reading with a hot chocolate!
December 19, 2022
Story rating 6/10 Christian Faith Rating -2/3
December 18, 2023
Een politiek correct klimaatboekje, verpakt als sprookje waar de moraal letterlijk beschreven staat. Tenenkrommend braaf dus, en de lezer onderschattend.
April 20, 2025
Unsure if I’ll want to finish it. It IS really good near the start. But if the ending can bother many aplenty average people, it must be pretty preachy and condescending. Sorry to burst the bubble that gives kids heavy mental illnesses, but the world isn’t burning to a crisp for another billion years. The doomsday stuff that activists say about the world ending in 2000 or whatever, before and after those years non-stop, has always been false. Climate change (global warming got debunked so the name changed, the world also cools, that’s what climate does) is not as simplistic as hysterics make it out to be. An arid climate staying arid and doing its arid things for hundreds of years isn’t ‘change’, either. More people die from harsh cold than harsh heat. Was the ice age and volcanoes caused by climate change? Obviously not in its human lingo for that term. Why are the countries with heavy greenhouse gas emissions not suffering that much from it at all?
Climates are supposed to be different, and even without greenhouse gases they change a minuscule amount over thousands of years - this is how a wide, unique range of animals can be created, adapted, and evolved, and if you’ve studied animals, you would know that adaptability is a huge factor of longevity, even back before humans. Even parasites and pests are beneficial to the world, for survival of only the fittest to breed and strengthen. Adapting has been #1 for species since the dawn of time. And since “climate change” is literally microscopic change (mainly natural, though) over millions of years… seriously, we would adapt naturally. If we couldn’t within all those years for whatever reason, then all of the stronger, tougher, healthier species will take our place. And according to evolution, we’d otherwise evolve to be able to store much more water and cool down quicker. This has happened for animals for eternity, this is how it works. It is not black and white, but in this part it is. Animals and plants adapt and develop stronger traits or they die off and other animals and plants which are stronger get more reign. Total extinction would never happen through climate change, what you’d need is a nuke or a meteor or something entirely natural going on in space. If dinosaurs taught us anything, life goes on even during a freaking ice age, thousands of new species develop to adapt despite their extinction. Even lemurs when continental drift occurred were having to adapt to their new environment in Madagascar, leading to wide ranges of subspecies despite losing a giant lemur in the process. But now we have the ring-tailed lemur exclusively there and many more due to the lack of competition. The world just works like that, it always has.
Also, trees consume carbon, people intentionally forget that part and just mention releasing oxygen. Trees are very vital. Pollutants, wars, and deforestation are what we need to focus on (of course to not also be blown way out of proportion), not microscopic hypotheses of a gazillion years down the line that get blown way out of proportion to create a bunch of hysteria. We’re not going to die from climate change, our kids are not going to die from it in their very long lifetimes. I can say that with 100% certainty. So if a book wants to ramble on about doomsday whilst acting like it’s reality, that’s entirely untrue.
Climates are supposed to be different, and even without greenhouse gases they change a minuscule amount over thousands of years - this is how a wide, unique range of animals can be created, adapted, and evolved, and if you’ve studied animals, you would know that adaptability is a huge factor of longevity, even back before humans. Even parasites and pests are beneficial to the world, for survival of only the fittest to breed and strengthen. Adapting has been #1 for species since the dawn of time. And since “climate change” is literally microscopic change (mainly natural, though) over millions of years… seriously, we would adapt naturally. If we couldn’t within all those years for whatever reason, then all of the stronger, tougher, healthier species will take our place. And according to evolution, we’d otherwise evolve to be able to store much more water and cool down quicker. This has happened for animals for eternity, this is how it works. It is not black and white, but in this part it is. Animals and plants adapt and develop stronger traits or they die off and other animals and plants which are stronger get more reign. Total extinction would never happen through climate change, what you’d need is a nuke or a meteor or something entirely natural going on in space. If dinosaurs taught us anything, life goes on even during a freaking ice age, thousands of new species develop to adapt despite their extinction. Even lemurs when continental drift occurred were having to adapt to their new environment in Madagascar, leading to wide ranges of subspecies despite losing a giant lemur in the process. But now we have the ring-tailed lemur exclusively there and many more due to the lack of competition. The world just works like that, it always has.
Also, trees consume carbon, people intentionally forget that part and just mention releasing oxygen. Trees are very vital. Pollutants, wars, and deforestation are what we need to focus on (of course to not also be blown way out of proportion), not microscopic hypotheses of a gazillion years down the line that get blown way out of proportion to create a bunch of hysteria. We’re not going to die from climate change, our kids are not going to die from it in their very long lifetimes. I can say that with 100% certainty. So if a book wants to ramble on about doomsday whilst acting like it’s reality, that’s entirely untrue.
September 22, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Books for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
When reading an early digital copy, you often don't get the illustrations that would be in the final copy, and so you almost feel like you're missing something key. I am happy to report that within 2-3 pages, there was one of Penny's beautiful images, and they really do add something extra to the story. It definitely brought the magic to life, and I can't wait to see them in all their glory in the finished publication.
I read it in the space of about three hours. It was simple and age appropriate, but dark and warming, and a really fun book to read, even as an adult over 3x the recommended reading age.
I did worry at times that it might get too scary for young children, but overall I'd say it's pitched just right. Kids love a bit of scariness, but it just stops before it goes overboard.
I love that the main protagonist is a child. As adults, we so often ignore what children have to say, when they could actually be right, and so by making the main character a child, it gives them the power that they so often deserve. It also shows the love between a brother and sister, as well as the annoyances and tiny bugbears (that feel huge at the time) that siblings so often have.
I love the description of winter in this book. I love winter, the rain, the fog, the snow, the ice, the cold - it's beautiful, but as with all nature, it can have a dark side. And I think M.G Leonard has captured that perfectly. It's beautiful but dangerous.
I go to books - especially kids books - for fun, entertainment, and a distraction from reality. And so when you're enjoying a book like that, and then it suddenly starts talking about (no spoilers) a prevalent topic in real life, it kind of takes you out of the fantasy for a bit. I think maybe if it had been introduced earlier in the book, and not just tagged on near the end it might have worked better for me, to gently ease us into it. But it didn't ruin the reading for me. And I think that kids, it's main target audience, won't have a problem with it. It introduces a very real worry into a fun piece of writing for them.
It's like a cross between His Dark Materials, The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Snow Queen. It takes influences from these tales, but makes them their own.
I read this just as the summer was falling into autumn, and even then it felt like a nice warming book. So I imagine it would be perfect for a cold snowy dark winters evening, when you're all huddled around some warming hot cocoa, and reading it to your children (or to yourself).
It just reads like a fairy-tale that will become a children's classic.
When reading an early digital copy, you often don't get the illustrations that would be in the final copy, and so you almost feel like you're missing something key. I am happy to report that within 2-3 pages, there was one of Penny's beautiful images, and they really do add something extra to the story. It definitely brought the magic to life, and I can't wait to see them in all their glory in the finished publication.
I read it in the space of about three hours. It was simple and age appropriate, but dark and warming, and a really fun book to read, even as an adult over 3x the recommended reading age.
I did worry at times that it might get too scary for young children, but overall I'd say it's pitched just right. Kids love a bit of scariness, but it just stops before it goes overboard.
I love that the main protagonist is a child. As adults, we so often ignore what children have to say, when they could actually be right, and so by making the main character a child, it gives them the power that they so often deserve. It also shows the love between a brother and sister, as well as the annoyances and tiny bugbears (that feel huge at the time) that siblings so often have.
I love the description of winter in this book. I love winter, the rain, the fog, the snow, the ice, the cold - it's beautiful, but as with all nature, it can have a dark side. And I think M.G Leonard has captured that perfectly. It's beautiful but dangerous.
I go to books - especially kids books - for fun, entertainment, and a distraction from reality. And so when you're enjoying a book like that, and then it suddenly starts talking about (no spoilers) a prevalent topic in real life, it kind of takes you out of the fantasy for a bit. I think maybe if it had been introduced earlier in the book, and not just tagged on near the end it might have worked better for me, to gently ease us into it. But it didn't ruin the reading for me. And I think that kids, it's main target audience, won't have a problem with it. It introduces a very real worry into a fun piece of writing for them.
It's like a cross between His Dark Materials, The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Snow Queen. It takes influences from these tales, but makes them their own.
I read this just as the summer was falling into autumn, and even then it felt like a nice warming book. So I imagine it would be perfect for a cold snowy dark winters evening, when you're all huddled around some warming hot cocoa, and reading it to your children (or to yourself).
It just reads like a fairy-tale that will become a children's classic.
November 2, 2023
My review is for the book, not the audio version which I couldn’t find here.
Finn has been turned to ice.
The Ice Children is a magnificent children’s book and thoroughly magical. Firstly, it is atmospherically illustrated throughout by Penny Neville-Lee with images that support less confident young independent readers, and which enhance and exemplify what’s happening. From the gorgeous endpapers, through the winter spirit animal inspired ice crystals at the start of each chapter, to the dramatic pictures supporting the text, the illustration elevates The Ice Children into the most perfect gift book.
The plot simply races along as more and more children become frozen in suspended animation and Bianca tries to establish what has happened to her little brother Finn. M.G Leonard weaves in elements of traditional tales with fantasy and adventure so that The Ice Children feels as if it is a natural part of established children’s fiction whilst being absolutely fresh and modern too. Themes of family, climate change and the environment are explored without preaching, but in ways that show just how we are affecting our planet and how important children are to the future of the world. I loved the status this gives to children and thoroughly appreciated the fact that Bianca is a strong, intelligent and feisty girl as the protagonist so that there is a touch of feminism here too.
The celebration of winter is just wonderful. M.G Leonard’s descriptions of cold, ice and snow are so beautifully written and so vivid that there’s a dramatic and visual quality to the story. Indeed, I thought the language was perfect. The rhyming couplets spoken by Pitter and Patter, Jack’s appearance, and the references to food all added layers of interest and mystery, with the inscriptions next to the frozen children and Ishild’s riddle all helping children to understand the power of language. I found the concept of story as a powerful means to explore new worlds very touching, but you’ll need to read The Ice Children to discover quite why.
In fact, there’s considerable emotion throughout the story because the characterisation is sensitively handled. The relationship between Bianca and Pordis is just lovely and the dynamics with her parents, as well as the emotions she feels when confronting Finn in Winterton are strong and relatable. Through The Ice Children young readers get to explore and understand love, family, friendships, fear, grief, happiness and sadness in an enchanting and entertaining manner.
Aimed at readers aged 8-12, I have a feeling that The Ice Children will bring a lifetime of joy to any reader and become a family favourite returned to and shared across generations. I thought it was utterly brilliant.
Finn has been turned to ice.
The Ice Children is a magnificent children’s book and thoroughly magical. Firstly, it is atmospherically illustrated throughout by Penny Neville-Lee with images that support less confident young independent readers, and which enhance and exemplify what’s happening. From the gorgeous endpapers, through the winter spirit animal inspired ice crystals at the start of each chapter, to the dramatic pictures supporting the text, the illustration elevates The Ice Children into the most perfect gift book.
The plot simply races along as more and more children become frozen in suspended animation and Bianca tries to establish what has happened to her little brother Finn. M.G Leonard weaves in elements of traditional tales with fantasy and adventure so that The Ice Children feels as if it is a natural part of established children’s fiction whilst being absolutely fresh and modern too. Themes of family, climate change and the environment are explored without preaching, but in ways that show just how we are affecting our planet and how important children are to the future of the world. I loved the status this gives to children and thoroughly appreciated the fact that Bianca is a strong, intelligent and feisty girl as the protagonist so that there is a touch of feminism here too.
The celebration of winter is just wonderful. M.G Leonard’s descriptions of cold, ice and snow are so beautifully written and so vivid that there’s a dramatic and visual quality to the story. Indeed, I thought the language was perfect. The rhyming couplets spoken by Pitter and Patter, Jack’s appearance, and the references to food all added layers of interest and mystery, with the inscriptions next to the frozen children and Ishild’s riddle all helping children to understand the power of language. I found the concept of story as a powerful means to explore new worlds very touching, but you’ll need to read The Ice Children to discover quite why.
In fact, there’s considerable emotion throughout the story because the characterisation is sensitively handled. The relationship between Bianca and Pordis is just lovely and the dynamics with her parents, as well as the emotions she feels when confronting Finn in Winterton are strong and relatable. Through The Ice Children young readers get to explore and understand love, family, friendships, fear, grief, happiness and sadness in an enchanting and entertaining manner.
Aimed at readers aged 8-12, I have a feeling that The Ice Children will bring a lifetime of joy to any reader and become a family favourite returned to and shared across generations. I thought it was utterly brilliant.
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