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Frostbite

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Bestselling children's author, Julia Dweck, shares the magic of the holiday season in a delightful story of one boy’s wish for a dog of his very own. After a wintry mix of snow and love, two icy mounds of snow come to life with a bark, a wiggle and a wag. The wonder of childhood is born in this frisky snowpup named Frostbite. Children will be enchanted by the artistry of Robb Mommaerts, whose illustrations perfectly capture the magic of this imaginative picture book. Told in rhyme by a little boy whose dream comes true, this tale will warm the heart of young readers and any parent who remembers wishing for a dog of their very own.So that’s the truth amidst the snow—As day turned into night,I found a dog to call my own. I’m glad I caught Frostbite.

58 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 3, 2014

5 people are currently reading
22 people want to read

About the author

Julia Dweck

34 books270 followers
Julia writes children’s stories for digital and traditional publication. Her stories span the spectrum of humor, fantasy, and edutainment in rhyme and in prose. Julia’s background in elementary education affords her the opportunity to be in touch with what children want to read about and what makes them giggle. Julia collaborates with some of the leading artists in the world of children’s literature. Julia is also a designer of educational adjuncts for children’s literature, and has worked with such notable publishing houses as Penguin Young Readers.

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5 stars
30 (53%)
4 stars
19 (33%)
3 stars
6 (10%)
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1 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Profile Image for Bryan.
120 reviews
December 8, 2025
Such a fun and charming story with illustrations that perfectly complimented it. Always a fan of Robb's work and now a new fan of Julia's!
Profile Image for My Book Addiction and More MBA.
1,958 reviews71 followers
November 19, 2014
FROSTBITE by Julia Dweck is an absolute delight. A Children's/Rhyming.

A perfect read-aloud book for your little ones. A perfect Christmas surprise! This is a story about one little boy's wish for a dog. A wonderful story your children are sure to delight in year after year. A new generation of a "Frosty" like tale. You gotta love a picture book with vivid picture, where children are sure to delight your imagination, and interest. Easy to follow and easy for young readers to understand and delight and each and every page. A true treasure! I have yet to find one of Ms. Dweck's book that was not a true delight! An absolute delight! Move over "Frosty", here comes "Frostbite".

*Received for an honest review from the publisher*

Rating: 5

Heat rating: N/A

Reviewed by: AprilR, courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
Profile Image for Annie.
292 reviews1 follower
January 14, 2015
The pictures are pretty, the writing is witty.
I love this book, especially how the dog is made of snow.
I would recommend it to my friends. Way to go!
(written by my 9 year old)
Profile Image for Misty Farias.
193 reviews4 followers
January 4, 2018
Adorable young children's story about a boy who wants a dog so badly he fashions one out of snow and ice. Adorably narrated and illustrated!
1 review
February 22, 2020
Loved this book

My granddaughter has an imagination like this.So I thought the little boy’s imaginary dog friends was really a cute idea.
Profile Image for Kathryn.
752 reviews5 followers
March 1, 2023
It's the pictures

The illustrations make this book. They are delightful! The rhymes are fine. This would be a fun read for any little dog lovers.
Profile Image for Kathryn Svendsen.
468 reviews12 followers
March 6, 2015
Frostbite is a delightful poetry style about a boy who wishes for a dog. He forms one out of snow and has the greatest fun with him outside. Having to go inside and not wanting to leave Frostbite outside and alone, the boy brings him inside, but Frostbite begins to melt. So the boy tries to put Frostbite the fridge freezer. The boy’s mother sees this and appears afraid of the dog until Frostbite befriends her with doggie kisses to her cheeks. Now Frostbite has the perfect bed beside the boy’s bed in a cooler filled with ice beside his bed.

I loved the rhyming lines in this story. It is perfect for parents to read to children. I liked that all the fun that was had was outside which might help encourage children to play similar games that the children played outside.

I liked the additional information that was at the end of the story – interesting facts about dogs and a matching game. These are like added bonuses to peak children’s interests in the topic that the book is about – in this case, dogs.

The illustrations for Frostbite are superbly done. They are bright, colourful and highly detailed. The illustrations will help the new reader to make connections between the words and their printed representations.

I liked the choice of font for the lettering. The font looks like hand printed lettering. This font is easy for children to read as it looks like printing.

I have only one negative comment regarding this book and it comes from being a teacher of children with visual impairments. Most of the pages have excellent contrast between print and background, but a few pages have light background with light print (pg12 & 13). . This would make it difficult for a child with poor visual acuity to easily see the words This could be improved with dark print on these two pages.

Other than that this is one the best children’s books that I have read this year. I give Frostbite 5 stars out of 5. Julia Dweck is becoming one of my favourite children’s authors.

Thank you to the author for providing a copy of the book for providing a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive opinion was not required. All thoughts are my own.

This review was published on my blog Shelf Full of Books http://kathrynsshelffullofbooks.blogs...
Profile Image for Samantha Li.
256 reviews
November 30, 2014
Our young protagonist has always wanted a dog, and his mother won't allow him to get one. He goes outside, and hears a bark. He rolls up a ball of snow, puts it atop four twigs, adds a smaller ball of snow for the head and a pinecone for the nose, and the snow creature turns into none other than a little dog. He names his dog Frostbite, and the story goes through their adventures of the day - from "freeze" to fighting with the neighbor's cat. The story ends with little Frostbite sleeping in a cooler next to the young boy's bed.
My favorite feature of this book was the charming images. Told in witty rhyme, this book is great for younger children learning how to read.

On the slight negative side, I read this book to my younger sisters (7, 5) and they were somewhat confused. (Granted, we are a family of history nerds and prefer Abraham Lincoln to fairy tales.) It definitely was more imaginative than logical (i.e. the snow barks randomly before he creates Frostbite), but I guess that's mostly because it's a kids book and I'm looking into it too much.

All in all, a cute little book for the family this holiday season.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion.
Profile Image for Tina at Mommynificent.
661 reviews18 followers
November 27, 2014
This is a delightful book for children and their parents alike! We absolutely loved the full-color illustrations. The little boy and his snowdog are precious, the colors of the sky are incredible, and the snowy scenes made me feel almost cold for a second despite our scorching Malaysian temperatures!

The rhyming, rhythmical text is also mesmerizing. I'm very picky about the rhythm of a children's book, and this one passed my tests with flying colors. I never stumbled over an awkward phrase or meter shift in my first reading or any of my subsequent and oft-requested re-readings. And yes, the kids asked for it again and again and again until I finally had to distract them for my own sanity! It's a great book, but a mom can only read even the best books so many times in a row in one sitting!

If you're looking for a wintry treat of a book, this is the book for you. It is available from Amazon in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle versions. I will say that we don't usually do very well with picture books in electronic format but this book was an exception. My kids were very happy to gather around the laptop and read this again and again.
Profile Image for Jenn Soest.
2 reviews
November 19, 2014
Julia Dweck does it again! Frostbite is another wonderful children’s book with amazing illustrations. It’s a story of a young boy who wants a dog. When his mother won’t let him have one, he creates it out of snow.

The boy plays with the dog all day and then tries to bring it inside. Well, the dog got a little hot and they had to find a special place to keep him so he wouldn’t melt.

The story is wonderful and my five year old daughter was thrilled when we read it. The rhyming is great for preschool and kindergarteners who are learning reading, spelling and rhyming. I would read the first sentence and then she would read the rhyming word in the next sentence.

After I got through the first few pages my eight year old twin daughters were intrigued by the story and plopped on the couch to listen and look. It was a great family time. After we got through the first pass the twins wanted to go back and started at the beginning.

Profile Image for Gmr.
1,251 reviews
November 17, 2014
Call it a Frosty for a new generation, filled with the same magic the top hat of old brought us, just with a shorter stature, and an actual bark. Frostbite is the perfect winter time friend and though he must be wary of climbing temperatures, I'm glad to see that in the end, Mom comes through with a solution for one and all. Then there's the illustrations...

Each scene captures the essence of what's transpiring, whether it's the little boys search for a furry friend, or the snowball fight with Frostbite and the sledding kids. Every page will capture your imagination and draw you in for a closer look with all the detail included.

So, if your heart has love to spare, your imagination room for magic, and you're jonesing for a fun wintery read, I'd definitely recommend this one for you and yours, the young and young at heart.
Profile Image for Stacie.
Author 6 books100 followers
November 18, 2014
What do you do when mom won't let you have a dog? Get creative of course!

This bright-eyed energetic little boy does just that. All bundled up to face the chilly elements he hears a "woof" in the snow and gets to work. Soon his dream of having his very own dog comes true. He spends the rest of the day playing with his new friend but, when mom calls him to come inside he doesn't know what to do. What will become of his frosty friend?

Frostbite is an enchanting wintry treat that will capture the hearts of children and parents alike. This rhythmic arctic tale inspires wintertime fun that is sure to put a smile on little ones faces. The illustrations are vibrant and the use of a variety of blues effectively creates the crisp winter adventure that is unfolding.

I highly recommend picking up a copy.
Profile Image for Crystal McClean.
35 reviews1 follower
November 20, 2014
Don't be left out in the cold!

Just in time for Winter, Julia Dweck puts a new twist on an old classic.  Frostbite is an adventurous story about a boy and his snowdog who comes to life.  Together they play 'freeze', and take on the neighbourhood bullies in a snowball fight.  

When the times comes to go in for the night the boy can't find a place to keep frostbite cool.  Though frightened at first, his mom soon warms to Frostbite and she provides a cooler for Frostbite so he can stay near his owner through the night. 

Julia Dweck's Rhyme keeps the story romping, and the outdoor illustrations bring the chill of the season to your skin. 

At the end of the book you'll find some strange but true dog facts and a fun mix & match activity.

A true story of friendship between a boy and his 'dog', my children children have gone barking mad reading it over again!
Profile Image for Barbara Ann.
Author 22 books187 followers
December 22, 2014
Another winner from Julia Dweck. Our unnamed protagonist desperately wants a puppy, but mom will not acquiesce. So the little boy ventures outside in the snow determined to find a dog. Suddenly, he hears a noise in the snow and begins digging. He succeeds in creating a snow dog which he names Frostbite. They play games in the snow until he hears his mom call for dinner. How will he conceal Frostbite? Soon he discovers another problem, Frostbite is melting! Can he save his new pet? What will Mom do when she finds out?

Illustrations for this book are expertly crafted by Robb Mommaerts. The cartoonish characters are large, bright and expressive. This book could very well become a new holiday tradition for the whole family to share, but especially appealing for five through eight year olds.
Profile Image for Wendy Unsworth.
Author 8 books161 followers
December 6, 2016
A super-fun story for the holiday season. The little hero of the story always wanted a dog but his mum said no. So one cold and snowy day he decides to go out and find a dog. Magic, of sorts, ensues and soon the boy has a dog made of sticks and snow to play with. Much like The Snowman, a trip home causes problems, not because Mum objects, but the warmth inside sets in a thaw! All ends well, with a bit of ingenuity.
The story is told in funny rhyme that really works and the illustrations, quite frenetic in their style, are great.
A lovely book for around the five year age range I would think.
Profile Image for Katie (hiding in the pages).
3,523 reviews333 followers
November 17, 2014
I love picture books that are told in rhyme. This one was so much fun and showed such great imagination. This boy really wants a dog of his own and discovers, one day, that his dream comes true with a small mound of snow. The illustrations are great and bring the imagery to life.

I read this one with my daughter and we were both enchanted. I remember pretending when I was young and I loved the way this imaginary pet seemed so real. My daughter really enjoyed it as well. This is a fun story that is sure to capture the hearts of many.

*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Teresa Kander.
Author 1 book186 followers
December 13, 2016
Another winner for this author. The rhyming text is simple and fun. It is a great book for reading to younger children, or for beginning readers to try out their new skills. And its subject matter makes it a great read for this time of year.

The illustrations are perfect for the text. I especially love the very first page, where you can tell that the boy is TOTALLY dog obsessed by the illustration. And every page after that reflects the words in amazing detail.

I believe this will become a new winter classic!

**I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
Profile Image for Lynda Dickson.
581 reviews66 followers
November 22, 2014
A young boy yearns for a dog of his very own, but his mother won't let him have one. He finds a dog (of sorts) when he goes out to play in the snow. But then it's time to go back inside. What will he do with his new friend, Frostbite?

This is a magical "tail" of longing, wishes, imagination, and love - perfect for Christmas. The fun, rhyming story is delightfully illustrated by Robb Mommaerts and is followed by strange (but true) dog facts and a doggy match-up game.

I received this book in return for an honest review.
Profile Image for Laurie.
Author 6 books75 followers
November 16, 2014
I received an advance view copy and it is clear, Julia Dweck has done it again, this charming book captures the magic of Winter, with amazing, vivid illustrations and a charming upbeat story about a little boy's desire for a dog of his own. Frostbite is perfect for a read aloud book for young children.
Profile Image for Silvie Armas.
100 reviews12 followers
November 17, 2014
In my house we are HUGE fans of Julia Dweck and were excitedly looking forward to this story. Julia has definitely done it again! This is now a new favorite among the rest of Julia's books. My boys and I absolutely love the story and the beautiful illustrations. We've decided that when we get a pup we will call it Frostbite. I highly recommend this and all of Julia Dwecks Stories!
Profile Image for Candice.
105 reviews3 followers
November 19, 2014
What an adorable twist on that little boys holiday wish!! All he wants for Christmas is a puppy, and what he comes across is a frosty pal full of love! Definitely a beautiful, and fun spin on Frosty the Snowman! Enjoyable for children and families of all ages, allow your heart to be melted! Another Julia classic!!
Profile Image for Angela Lambkin.
2,354 reviews27 followers
December 20, 2014
Frostbite - was quite a sweet and tender story about how a. ot got his dream of a dog of his own!

I am giving this ebook five stars for such an inventive and sweet type of story of a boy and his getting his dream come true of a real live dog. A snow dog! A frozen one at that,to
Profile Image for Shannon.
77 reviews5 followers
January 3, 2016
Cute Illustrations!

My 6 year old loved this book. Adorable illustrations and a funny, yet sweet rhyming story. The dog trivia, matching game and authors blurbs at the end are a nice addition.
Profile Image for Jaguar.
619 reviews5 followers
January 15, 2015
Very cute story about a boy who wants a dog, and ends up getting a snow dog named Frostbite!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews

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