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Freya & Zoose
3 Hours and 30 Minutes
Fans of Katherine Applegate's The One and Only Ivan will treasure this timeless tale about a magnificent adventure to the North Pole and the even more astounding feat of true friendship. A perfect purchase for animal and adventure lovers alike.
Freya has always craved--and feared--adventure. Traipsing all over the world is simply not what dignified rockhopper penguins do. But when she hears about Captain Salomon August Andr�e's hot-air balloon expedition to the North Pole, Freya packs her copy of Hints to Lady Travellers and hops on board.
Only moments after leaving land, Freya discovers a fellow stowaway! Meet Zoose, the scrappy, uncouth mouse whose endless wisecracks and despicable manners make him a less-than-ideal travel companion.
When the hot-air balloon is forced to land in the Arctic, these polar opposites must learn how to get along. Their very survival depends on it.
Debut author Emily Butler spins wonder and whimsy and Jennifer Thermes contributes over fifty black-and-white illustrations to bring this enchanting friendship tale to life.
Fans of Katherine Applegate's The One and Only Ivan will treasure this timeless tale about a magnificent adventure to the North Pole and the even more astounding feat of true friendship. A perfect purchase for animal and adventure lovers alike.
Freya has always craved--and feared--adventure. Traipsing all over the world is simply not what dignified rockhopper penguins do. But when she hears about Captain Salomon August Andr�e's hot-air balloon expedition to the North Pole, Freya packs her copy of Hints to Lady Travellers and hops on board.
Only moments after leaving land, Freya discovers a fellow stowaway! Meet Zoose, the scrappy, uncouth mouse whose endless wisecracks and despicable manners make him a less-than-ideal travel companion.
When the hot-air balloon is forced to land in the Arctic, these polar opposites must learn how to get along. Their very survival depends on it.
Debut author Emily Butler spins wonder and whimsy and Jennifer Thermes contributes over fifty black-and-white illustrations to bring this enchanting friendship tale to life.
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First published January 15, 2019
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March 9, 2020It's time for an adventure of a lifetime!
Freya, a dignified Rock Hopper penguin, has always longed for an adventure. So when she hears about Captain Salomon August Andre's hot air balloon expedition to the North Pole, she quickly hops on board.
She soon discovers she's not the only one who's hitched a ride. Zoose, an uncouth mouse, makes for a less-than-ideal travel companion. But when the trip goes horribly awry, they realize they must learn to work together, or the results may be devastating.
A story of finding so much more than unexpected common ground. The good and the bad of what happens when you let your heart soar away in a hot air balloon.
Trigger warnings for death of a loved one, injury to an animal, family tension, depression, shame, and grief.
Smart, very proper Freya knew the trip was the chance she had always been waiting for. Life had not always been kind to the poetry loving penguin, and my heart ached for her. Following her beloved Hints For Lady Travellers, she was almost always prepared. Even as she was rather reserved, she was always compassionate. I admired her ability to keep a cool head in desperate times.
A bit of a cheeky rogue, Zoose was her fellow thrill seeker. Scrappy and undisciplined, he knew how to pull through a tough situation. A little superstitious, the mouse had his street smarts, but believed a lot of what he heard. Determined to find glory and prestige, his witty humor was just one of the surprises to be found within his character.
Truly polar opposites, Freya and Zoose couldn't have been more different, or so it seemed. In fact, over the course of their perilous journey, the two came to see that their differences were not only useful, but truly special. Moving from disdain, to understanding, to respect, to genuine mutual appreciation, the two souls formed a friendship that glittered like a gem.
Much like the hot air balloon Freya and Zoose soar away in, this historical fiction goes up, up, up, before taking a very bleak turn. Not necessarily a bad one, but it takes a relatively light-hearted book in a very stark, realistic, direction. Based on the expedition of Captain Salomon August Andre to the North Pole, the historical fiction gives a near and far look into the harsh realities of the ill fated trip. Clever, ironic prose made the stowaways voyage engaging. Fast paced and light, then heavy and slow with the inevitable, Emily Butler crafted a story of friendship, adventure, and survival. Accompanied by Jennifer Thermes fantastic black and white illustrations, it touched on loneliness, shame, ostracisation, grief, banishment, and guilt. Freya and Zoose's tale encouraged us not to judge others so hastily, work together, and to never give up. Every book is open to all readers, yet I'd be very hesitant to put this into the hands of young readers due to its sudden dark subject matter and themes. Sweet, yet painfully real, this one will pull on my heartstrings for quite a long time.
Truly unexpected, Freya & Zoose is a reminder to never judge a book by it's cover.
Freya, a dignified Rock Hopper penguin, has always longed for an adventure. So when she hears about Captain Salomon August Andre's hot air balloon expedition to the North Pole, she quickly hops on board.
She soon discovers she's not the only one who's hitched a ride. Zoose, an uncouth mouse, makes for a less-than-ideal travel companion. But when the trip goes horribly awry, they realize they must learn to work together, or the results may be devastating.
A story of finding so much more than unexpected common ground. The good and the bad of what happens when you let your heart soar away in a hot air balloon.
Trigger warnings for death of a loved one, injury to an animal, family tension, depression, shame, and grief.
Smart, very proper Freya knew the trip was the chance she had always been waiting for. Life had not always been kind to the poetry loving penguin, and my heart ached for her. Following her beloved Hints For Lady Travellers, she was almost always prepared. Even as she was rather reserved, she was always compassionate. I admired her ability to keep a cool head in desperate times.
A bit of a cheeky rogue, Zoose was her fellow thrill seeker. Scrappy and undisciplined, he knew how to pull through a tough situation. A little superstitious, the mouse had his street smarts, but believed a lot of what he heard. Determined to find glory and prestige, his witty humor was just one of the surprises to be found within his character.
Truly polar opposites, Freya and Zoose couldn't have been more different, or so it seemed. In fact, over the course of their perilous journey, the two came to see that their differences were not only useful, but truly special. Moving from disdain, to understanding, to respect, to genuine mutual appreciation, the two souls formed a friendship that glittered like a gem.
Much like the hot air balloon Freya and Zoose soar away in, this historical fiction goes up, up, up, before taking a very bleak turn. Not necessarily a bad one, but it takes a relatively light-hearted book in a very stark, realistic, direction. Based on the expedition of Captain Salomon August Andre to the North Pole, the historical fiction gives a near and far look into the harsh realities of the ill fated trip. Clever, ironic prose made the stowaways voyage engaging. Fast paced and light, then heavy and slow with the inevitable, Emily Butler crafted a story of friendship, adventure, and survival. Accompanied by Jennifer Thermes fantastic black and white illustrations, it touched on loneliness, shame, ostracisation, grief, banishment, and guilt. Freya and Zoose's tale encouraged us not to judge others so hastily, work together, and to never give up. Every book is open to all readers, yet I'd be very hesitant to put this into the hands of young readers due to its sudden dark subject matter and themes. Sweet, yet painfully real, this one will pull on my heartstrings for quite a long time.
Truly unexpected, Freya & Zoose is a reminder to never judge a book by it's cover.
December 31, 2018
Freya and Zoose is one of those books that are about so many things, and that operate on so many different levels, that questions like “what is it about?” become meaningless. Nevertheless, since reviews have to do something, I am going to try to answer the question anyway.
Freya and Zoose is about the very real Swedish Arctic Expedition of 1897, in which three explorers lead by Captain S. A. Andrée tried to use a hydrogen balloon to become the first (known) humans to reach the North Pole. The expedition is well documented and has been the subject of some historical scrutiny. And from what I can tell, Emily Butler’s portrayal of the facts of the voyage are accurate as far as they can be known.
But the human explorers are bit players in the story that Butler tells. Because Freya and Zoose is really about the penguin (Freya) and the mouse (Zoose) who stow away in the balloon and experience the expedition in their own way, which, as far as ways for experiencing dangerous expeditions goes, is a very nice way indeed.
Freya and Zoose don’t know each other when the expedition begins. They each chose to stow away separately and for different reasons. So the book is about friendship, and, specifically, how to very different creatures become friends in a situation where they both need each other’s particular skill set--but, more importantly, they both need each other’s eachotherness.
The differences between Freya and Zoose are pronounced. But they are both dealing with a profound sense of loneliness brought on by situations that really aren’t the kind of situations that rodents and waterfowl experience but are very much the kinds of situations that children and other people experience: social ostracism, parental neglect, the death of loved ones, shame, guilt, and not fitting in. Both are odd in their own way (and can one really be odd in any other way?), and, as Butler tells us, “A student can be annoying or silly and manage to fit in. She can even be mean and still have a friend or two. The one thing she cannot be at school is odd.”
One thing that both Freya and Zoose have in common is that they are both named after Gods (though one of them spells her namesake more correctly than the other, which makes total sense once you get to know the characters). This is another thing that the book is about--these odd, cast-away creatures are also divine beings, and they have to figure out why this might be so, which means, for one thing, that they have to find the courage to do big things--and what constitutes a “big thing” is different for each of them, but they both have to figure out how to do a few of them.
The story of Freya and Zoose is accompanied by more than 50 wonderful black-and-white illustrations by Jennifer Thermes. It would be difficult to overstate how much these images add to the book. They capture the action, but they also capture the characters and turn them into interesting and expressive friends whose adventures matter to us. It also make the book perfect to read aloud to children who can interact with the pictures while they listen to the worlds.
And all of this stuff that Freya and Zoose is about is wrapped up in some of the most delightful, witty, understated, and clever prose that I have ever encountered in any kind of book. Emily Butler is a consummate stylist whose sly, ironically proper style reminds me of nobody as much as Jane Austen, if Jane Austen had written novels for young readers about penguins and mice stowing away on balloons and being stranded on iceflows, which she didn’t, but could have, and if she had, she would still probably not have produced a book as charming as Emily Butler’s Freya and Zoose.
Freya and Zoose is about the very real Swedish Arctic Expedition of 1897, in which three explorers lead by Captain S. A. Andrée tried to use a hydrogen balloon to become the first (known) humans to reach the North Pole. The expedition is well documented and has been the subject of some historical scrutiny. And from what I can tell, Emily Butler’s portrayal of the facts of the voyage are accurate as far as they can be known.
But the human explorers are bit players in the story that Butler tells. Because Freya and Zoose is really about the penguin (Freya) and the mouse (Zoose) who stow away in the balloon and experience the expedition in their own way, which, as far as ways for experiencing dangerous expeditions goes, is a very nice way indeed.
Freya and Zoose don’t know each other when the expedition begins. They each chose to stow away separately and for different reasons. So the book is about friendship, and, specifically, how to very different creatures become friends in a situation where they both need each other’s particular skill set--but, more importantly, they both need each other’s eachotherness.
The differences between Freya and Zoose are pronounced. But they are both dealing with a profound sense of loneliness brought on by situations that really aren’t the kind of situations that rodents and waterfowl experience but are very much the kinds of situations that children and other people experience: social ostracism, parental neglect, the death of loved ones, shame, guilt, and not fitting in. Both are odd in their own way (and can one really be odd in any other way?), and, as Butler tells us, “A student can be annoying or silly and manage to fit in. She can even be mean and still have a friend or two. The one thing she cannot be at school is odd.”
One thing that both Freya and Zoose have in common is that they are both named after Gods (though one of them spells her namesake more correctly than the other, which makes total sense once you get to know the characters). This is another thing that the book is about--these odd, cast-away creatures are also divine beings, and they have to figure out why this might be so, which means, for one thing, that they have to find the courage to do big things--and what constitutes a “big thing” is different for each of them, but they both have to figure out how to do a few of them.
The story of Freya and Zoose is accompanied by more than 50 wonderful black-and-white illustrations by Jennifer Thermes. It would be difficult to overstate how much these images add to the book. They capture the action, but they also capture the characters and turn them into interesting and expressive friends whose adventures matter to us. It also make the book perfect to read aloud to children who can interact with the pictures while they listen to the worlds.
And all of this stuff that Freya and Zoose is about is wrapped up in some of the most delightful, witty, understated, and clever prose that I have ever encountered in any kind of book. Emily Butler is a consummate stylist whose sly, ironically proper style reminds me of nobody as much as Jane Austen, if Jane Austen had written novels for young readers about penguins and mice stowing away on balloons and being stranded on iceflows, which she didn’t, but could have, and if she had, she would still probably not have produced a book as charming as Emily Butler’s Freya and Zoose.
May 8, 2019
I spent a lot of time wondering who this was for while reading it. There's some really advanced vocabulary that would make it tough for most 2nd or 3rd graders, but I think it would be a hard sell to 4th or 5th graders. It has an old fashioned vibe, but there's a lot of death that makes it a hard sell as a family read aloud to a younger kiddo. I think the niche for this book is pretty small, so while it does have charming parts (as a lover of all things Victorian, I enjoyed the bits from the Hints to Lady Travelers), I'm struggling with who I'd recommend this book to.
The Goodreads blurb says it's good for lovers of The One and Only Ivan so maybe? I see I'm in the minority by not loving the book, so I'll talk about it with some readers who love animal stories and see what they think.
The Goodreads blurb says it's good for lovers of The One and Only Ivan so maybe? I see I'm in the minority by not loving the book, so I'll talk about it with some readers who love animal stories and see what they think.
April 1, 2020
"Freya & Zoose" is the story of a penguin (Freya) and a mouse (Zoose) who stowaway on the hot air balloon that explorers use to try to reach the North Pole.
This book was, to me, a real pleasure. Fun characters with lots of emotion, lots of challenges you don't usually see in middle-school books to make the reader think.
Here's a warning I think every reader should have; though the scenario seems like it's going to be an adventure story, it really isn't. There are some dramatic moments, but they are not the center of the book. Most of the book is sitting around and waiting, lots of talking and examination of the past. This is really a story about character - if you go into the book expecting high adventure you're probably going to be disappointed.
As far as character depictions, it's an excellent read. Freya and Zoose expand their personalities with time and grow internally. Their differences in character are stark, the way they grow to be friends, the way they realize they may have been wrong in some ways, is both authentic and engrossing.
I'll admit, this is a book that is NOT going to be everyone's cup of tea. A lot of it is internal, the characters are very fallible. Freya and Zoose reveal their terrible childhoods and talk skeptically about authority figures, and terrible things happen to likable supporting characters. It can be slow, and it can be dark - if you or your child don't like that kind of content you'd be best served by skipping this book.
On the other hand, if you like a thought-provoking look into organic characters, I hope you'll try it!
This book was, to me, a real pleasure. Fun characters with lots of emotion, lots of challenges you don't usually see in middle-school books to make the reader think.
Here's a warning I think every reader should have; though the scenario seems like it's going to be an adventure story, it really isn't. There are some dramatic moments, but they are not the center of the book. Most of the book is sitting around and waiting, lots of talking and examination of the past. This is really a story about character - if you go into the book expecting high adventure you're probably going to be disappointed.
As far as character depictions, it's an excellent read. Freya and Zoose expand their personalities with time and grow internally. Their differences in character are stark, the way they grow to be friends, the way they realize they may have been wrong in some ways, is both authentic and engrossing.
I'll admit, this is a book that is NOT going to be everyone's cup of tea. A lot of it is internal, the characters are very fallible. Freya and Zoose reveal their terrible childhoods and talk skeptically about authority figures, and terrible things happen to likable supporting characters. It can be slow, and it can be dark - if you or your child don't like that kind of content you'd be best served by skipping this book.
On the other hand, if you like a thought-provoking look into organic characters, I hope you'll try it!
August 5, 2020
It took me forever to finish this book because I kept putting it down to read something else. It feels like a classic story along the lines of Winnie the Pooh with cute characters who go on adventures. It made me wonder who the intended audience for this book was meant to be. The illustration style and the choice of animal characters skews younger, but the incredibly challenging language and the story's realistic portrayal of the dangers and hardships that come with Arctic explorations make it a better fit for older students. Will not be adding to my library at this time.
November 21, 2020
At first glance, I was expecting a light hearted story about an unlikely friendship between a rockhopper penguin and a mouse. What surprised me was the adventure they had aboard Captain Salomon August Andre's hot-air balloon, and that it is based on the real events of the Swedish polar explorer's expedition to reach the North Pole with a hydrogen balloon in 1897. While the story does provide some of the historical details of their attempt to reach the North Pole, the story is told primarily from the vantage point of Freya and Zoose viewing the explorers progress. Meaning they don't really interact with the humans but do observe them building sledges, discussing what supplies to abandon after they crash land, and they witness the difficulties the crew experience being stranded in the Artic. There are several tense moments when the crew and Freya and Zoose are thrown overboard from the boat, risking drowning, as well as a polar bear attack on their tent. Again the kinds of things one would expect with such a challenging expedition, but would require picking just the right kind of reader for the story. This is not merely an adventure friendship story, it also includes huge feats of survival and themes of death and dying.
Freya and Zoose are such polar opposites. Freya has impeccable manners and feels bad about trying to stowaway on the crews boat after they crash land, thinking that they'll just add to their load. However, Zoose doesn't seem to be bothered by taking what he can from the crew and would just abandon them all together and go it alone if need be. The friendship that develops between the two was my favorite part of the story. The way that they learned more about each other's past and found that they had more in common then just stowing away together. Included in the story are several black and white illustrations by Jennifer Thermes which are quite delightful in the way that they capture Freya and Zoose in action. Especially the one where the boat tips over and Freya is gliding through the water to rescue Zoose. While I was surprised at first about the historical aspects of Captain Andre's expedition the story illustrates how a rockhopper penguin and mouse can form an unlikely friendship and develop a home for themselves. **Thank you Emily Butler for my review copy**
Favorite line: "I never worry about what I'll do. Doing is what happens along the way."
Freya and Zoose are such polar opposites. Freya has impeccable manners and feels bad about trying to stowaway on the crews boat after they crash land, thinking that they'll just add to their load. However, Zoose doesn't seem to be bothered by taking what he can from the crew and would just abandon them all together and go it alone if need be. The friendship that develops between the two was my favorite part of the story. The way that they learned more about each other's past and found that they had more in common then just stowing away together. Included in the story are several black and white illustrations by Jennifer Thermes which are quite delightful in the way that they capture Freya and Zoose in action. Especially the one where the boat tips over and Freya is gliding through the water to rescue Zoose. While I was surprised at first about the historical aspects of Captain Andre's expedition the story illustrates how a rockhopper penguin and mouse can form an unlikely friendship and develop a home for themselves. **Thank you Emily Butler for my review copy**
Favorite line: "I never worry about what I'll do. Doing is what happens along the way."
January 14, 2020
First, I would like to acknowledge how lovely the illustrations are. They are whimsical and fit the characters perfectly. Second, I find that I really enjoyed the parts of the book that are dedicated to the animals and find their interactions both hilarious and heartwarming. My issues with this book reside in the storyline concerning the human explorers. It is based on a true story and therefore very grim. In my opinion, the way that it is dealt with is too advanced for the age bracket for which this story is set out to appeal to. There are trigger warnings including both death and suicide.
February 3, 2025
My main criticism of this book is that it does not know its audience, which is elementary age kids. The writing is beautiful but too far above the head of my very literate 3rd grader. The vocabulary is very interesting and challenging for me, as an adult reader. The author lost my kid though.
January 17, 2019
This is a fun and adventurous story of two stowaways headed for the Antartic via ballon! Freya (penguin) and Zoose (mouse) come from very different backgrounds and are happy to dislike each other and keep their distance. Soon they realize that they need to rely on each other to survive and become friends. lesson learned...Don't judge others too quickly or you might miss their assets and never learn who they really. And don't miss the chance for a true friend.
Thanks to NetGalley for ARC.
Thanks to NetGalley for ARC.
April 1, 2019
My review of this charming tale of friendship and adventure will be published by School Library Journal.
January 21, 2019
I have an advanced copy. (Squee!) This is forthcoming in January 2019.
"One did not hear tales of illustrious mice on grand adventures. And this one, small and shifty as he was, looked like a rogue."
_Freya and Zoose_ distinguishes itself by the diction and syntax. It's a great book for adults to read to children ages 5 to 11 to spark conversation about vocabulary, but it's also good for sparking interest in history, geography, science, and zoology. Also, the 50 or so illustrations by Jennifer Thermes are charming and help pull the reader into the narrative.
The setting of the story is chiefly about a penguin (Freya) and a mouse (Zoose) taking an adventure into the Arctic region. With talking animals, this is clearly fictional. However, these two stow away with historical figures--S. A. Andre, Nils Stringberg, and Knut Fraenkel--a team of Swedish explorers hoping to reach the North Pole.
While it's interesting to observe the efforts of the Swedish explorers from the animals' vantage point, I enjoyed their banter the most. Freya is gentile, raised in a home that enjoyed modest wealth. She has recently adopted a book on travel manners as her guide. Freya herself speaks and thinks with that type of tone.
Even when Freya is the most emotional, she maintains control: "Freya walked away with all the dignity she could muster. She refused to explain herself to a creature who had been raised in a sock. It was possibly not even his fault that he was so unpleasant, but a penguin could only take so much."
Zoose, on the other hand, was raised in a house with few resources and many mouths to feed. He's street wise and wise cracking: "Nothing like waking up to a whiff of sardines. Hits you like a punch in the face, and I mean that in a very good way."
As these two encounter precarious situations, they must learn to communicate and cooperate--or perish. So in a sense, this middle grade novel is a 21st Century update to the tome _Hints to Lady Travelers at Home and Abroad_ that Freya references during her trip. Readers young and old will be inspired to face life's adventures with courage and tact.
"One did not hear tales of illustrious mice on grand adventures. And this one, small and shifty as he was, looked like a rogue."
_Freya and Zoose_ distinguishes itself by the diction and syntax. It's a great book for adults to read to children ages 5 to 11 to spark conversation about vocabulary, but it's also good for sparking interest in history, geography, science, and zoology. Also, the 50 or so illustrations by Jennifer Thermes are charming and help pull the reader into the narrative.
The setting of the story is chiefly about a penguin (Freya) and a mouse (Zoose) taking an adventure into the Arctic region. With talking animals, this is clearly fictional. However, these two stow away with historical figures--S. A. Andre, Nils Stringberg, and Knut Fraenkel--a team of Swedish explorers hoping to reach the North Pole.
While it's interesting to observe the efforts of the Swedish explorers from the animals' vantage point, I enjoyed their banter the most. Freya is gentile, raised in a home that enjoyed modest wealth. She has recently adopted a book on travel manners as her guide. Freya herself speaks and thinks with that type of tone.
Even when Freya is the most emotional, she maintains control: "Freya walked away with all the dignity she could muster. She refused to explain herself to a creature who had been raised in a sock. It was possibly not even his fault that he was so unpleasant, but a penguin could only take so much."
Zoose, on the other hand, was raised in a house with few resources and many mouths to feed. He's street wise and wise cracking: "Nothing like waking up to a whiff of sardines. Hits you like a punch in the face, and I mean that in a very good way."
As these two encounter precarious situations, they must learn to communicate and cooperate--or perish. So in a sense, this middle grade novel is a 21st Century update to the tome _Hints to Lady Travelers at Home and Abroad_ that Freya references during her trip. Readers young and old will be inspired to face life's adventures with courage and tact.
January 30, 2019
I'd give this one a 3.5 because it kept me engaged the entire time and introduced some harsh realities about exploration and survival. When I first began the book, I was a bit disoriented since Freya, a rockhopper penguin and one of the characters, kept referring to a previous trip. I wondered if this was a sequel and if I had missed some essential context and background. As it turned out, this was not the case at all as Freya eventually shared what happened on her first voyage. This one, aboard a hot air balloon piloted by Captain Salomon August Andree in 1897, finds her smuggled into a comfortable nest she's fashioned in the lower portion of the basket. The three men who are aboard are determined to reach the North Pole by air. But Freya is not alone; an annoying, rather common mouse named Zoose, is also hiding in the same space. The very proper Freya is offended by his outspoken and vulgar ways, but eventually the two of them are able to see each other's worthiness when things don't go as planned. Freya has guided her life through the advice of a book called Hints to Lady Travelers, and while that written advice is often sound, that isn't always the case, she finds, and sometimes, there are situations that call for quick thinking and a response from the heart. Young readers will fall in love with Freya and Zoose and hope for a good ending to their story even while being interested to learn that the three men on this expedition were based on actual explorers from Sweden. The accompanying illustrations capture the essence of the story and its characters, and the back matter may intrigue readers so much that they will want to learn even more about the animals and the Arctic.
June 26, 2019
An unusual, interesting book! A Victorian-era spinster who happens to be a penguin meets up with a young mouse as stowaways on a Swedish balloon expedition to the North Pole. Sure, why not? There will be polar bears and ice and lots of ingenuity, and... it does not end with the unqualified success typical of children's adventure stories. I think it will appeal to kids who like timeless, classic-feeling books (I had one looking for readalikes for The Borrowers the other day, for instance).
September 26, 2019
A charming yet slightly harsh tale of finding oneself in the midst of hardship and adventure. Plenty of humor and personality with an odd couple dynamic and somewhat odd pacing, alternating fraught suspense with lethargic days full of mundane routine and storytelling. Subtle wisdom abounds.
June 30, 2022
This is a cute story about a lonely penguin and a castaway mouse who become friends as they embark on a traveling adventure. It started off well with both creatures stowing away in a balloon that some men were trying to fly to the north pole. Then, in the middle, the action stopped and the characters starting telling their long, detailed backstories, which made the characters deeper, but slowed down the action and adventure considerably. I think the book would have been better, considering it is a children's book, if the story was told in a more linear fashion and the adventurous part was not interrupted.
This book took a very different path than I was expecting. I was expecting one adventure after another, not a long pause in the middle where nothing happened but a flashback.
The story made more sense when I read the Author's note at the end of the book. The three men who tried to fly a balloon to the Arctic were based on real Swedish men. This information should have been put at the beginning of the book, such as "based on the true story…" and I would have been more engaged.
I am intrigued by the book that Freya mentioned "Hints to Lady Travellers: At Home and Abroad." I put that on my Want to Read list…
This book took a very different path than I was expecting. I was expecting one adventure after another, not a long pause in the middle where nothing happened but a flashback.
The story made more sense when I read the Author's note at the end of the book. The three men who tried to fly a balloon to the Arctic were based on real Swedish men. This information should have been put at the beginning of the book, such as "based on the true story…" and I would have been more engaged.
I am intrigued by the book that Freya mentioned "Hints to Lady Travellers: At Home and Abroad." I put that on my Want to Read list…
March 21, 2019
I was thoroughly charmed by this tale. What is it about? Well, exploration, adventure, bravery, making do, friendship, sacrifice, life lessons --- and many other important and high-sounding things. But what it is most is a delightful story of a fancy, fussy, rockhopper penguin and a scrappy, common, not-so-refined mouse. They are both stowaways on the real, historic, and ill-fated expedition of three Swedish explorers who in 1897 tried to reach the North Pole by balloon. Both are named for gods of ancient myth. In most other ways, however, they are not only dissimilar, but (to each other, at least) irritatingly so. How they learn to accept each other, differences and all, and how they become part of the expedition with all of its challenges and dangers is a model of how a friendship is born and strengthened. And all of that is excellent, but what makes the book so engaging is the writing, and what that is is (searching for the right words here) witty, sophisticated, stylish, subtle, laugh-out-loud funny, and thoroughly engaging. I’m trying to think of books that this reminds me of. Charlotte’s Web, Babe, the Gallant Pig, the Tale of Despereaux, but I’d have to go back to those to see if the writing could match this. I’m going to try Freya and Zoose out on a bunch of grandchildren, ages 5 to 12, but I’m guessing that all of them will love it, for their own reasons. Oh, and the illustrations are charming, too. Highly recommended.
September 12, 2019
I guess I just didn't really get this book? Overall, it's a sweet story, but I couldn't figure out who the audience would be. At parts it seems very juvenile for the middle grade reader but also too deep for the early chapter book reader? I also just didn't seem to understand the internal logic of the story: a penguin and a mouse hitch a ride with 3 arctic explorers trying to reach the north pole by hot air balloon. So these are animals and humans living in the same world - but to the humans, the animals are just animals. At the same time the animals have clothing and books, live in brick houses, go to church? And all this is somehow hidden from humans? Also some animals were anthropmorphized and some weren't, with no real rhyme or reason. It wasn't really clarified how these things were all happening in the same world. The actual writing of the book is very, very good. I just had too many issues with other aspects of the book to appreciate it fully.
March 22, 2019
Freya and Zoose is a delightful and surprising yarn set in the bleakly beautiful Arctic. A primly proper rockhopper penguine and a roguish mouse find themselves both stowed away on the very real (and tragedic) expedition of Saloman Andrée. As the attempt to fly a balloon to the North Pole goes awry, these unlikely companions must work together to overcome not only the environment, but their own foibles.
Emily writes wonderfully, painting beautiful backdrops upon which lively characters leap out from. The voice of Freya, her personality and texture, is particularly engaging throughout the story. Though a children's work, it does address the themes of death and familial wounds - both are handled with great care, being natural to the story and never feel forced or obtrusive. Overall, this is an excellent work that will entertain and engage a reader of any age
Emily writes wonderfully, painting beautiful backdrops upon which lively characters leap out from. The voice of Freya, her personality and texture, is particularly engaging throughout the story. Though a children's work, it does address the themes of death and familial wounds - both are handled with great care, being natural to the story and never feel forced or obtrusive. Overall, this is an excellent work that will entertain and engage a reader of any age
August 28, 2019
MG (8-12), ADVENTURE, HISTORICAL
Freya a penguin stows away in the basket of a hot air balloon bound for the North Pole. An unwelcomed little mouse named Zoose is discovered in her basket hiding place soon after take off. The two are polar opposites (pun intended). Freya is Swedish, was raised in a well to do household, is prim and proper and a planner. This was to be her great adventure with the human explorers! Zoose is a simple London street mouse, from a large uncaring family, with poor manners. The two unlikely traveling companions discover that they can't survive the journey unless they put their differences aside and rely on each other's strengths. This is a story of friendship and acceptance of "people" different than ourselves. Cute!
Freya a penguin stows away in the basket of a hot air balloon bound for the North Pole. An unwelcomed little mouse named Zoose is discovered in her basket hiding place soon after take off. The two are polar opposites (pun intended). Freya is Swedish, was raised in a well to do household, is prim and proper and a planner. This was to be her great adventure with the human explorers! Zoose is a simple London street mouse, from a large uncaring family, with poor manners. The two unlikely traveling companions discover that they can't survive the journey unless they put their differences aside and rely on each other's strengths. This is a story of friendship and acceptance of "people" different than ourselves. Cute!
February 26, 2019
This was such a refreshing travel tale with two unlikely passengers, a refined well dressed, and highly educated Swedish penguin named Freya, and a scrappy resourceful resilient Polish mouse. They meet as stowaways, unexpectantly on a hot air balloon awaiting liftoff, and soon fly away to amazing adventures. The storytelling is mesmerizing, as the reader learns about the new areas explored along with Freya and Zoose. The black and white illustrations are beautifully rendered, delightfully capturing the locations the pair explore. Readers who love animal adventures, and can handle a bit of distress for the little passengers will love this one.
May 24, 2025
My 4th grader had to read this, so I read it with her. First of all, it seems a bit too advanced for elementary kids even though that’s the target audience. A lot of the phrasing and vocabulary would go over elementary kids’ head. A lot of it even went over my head, and I’m 41! This just didn’t really feel like a kids book.
It does get dark in some places when it mentions death. That could be tough for some kids.
My kid and I just found the story to be really lackluster and confusing in parts. It was such a very slow paced book. The story just never really picks up, and it was also hard to even care about the characters as they are a bit one dimensional.
I’d give this book a miss.
It does get dark in some places when it mentions death. That could be tough for some kids.
My kid and I just found the story to be really lackluster and confusing in parts. It was such a very slow paced book. The story just never really picks up, and it was also hard to even care about the characters as they are a bit one dimensional.
I’d give this book a miss.
January 17, 2019
This is a fun and adventurous story of two stowaways headed for the Antartic via ballon! Freya (penguin) and Zoose (mouse) come from very different backgrounds and are happy to dislike each other and keep their distance. Soon they realize that they need to rely on each other to survive and become friends. lesson learned...Don't judge others too quickly or you might miss their assets and never learn who they really are. And don't miss the chance for a true friend.
Thanks to NetGalley for ARC.
Thanks to NetGalley for ARC.
January 23, 2019
Freya & Zoose is strikingly unique and unpredictable. Butler weaves a fantastical tale of a refined penguin and a rough-around-the-edges mouse, fellow stowaways who must learn to get along on a perilous Arctic adventure. Their journey includes encounters with ill-fated human explorers, menacing polar bears, and a guileful fox. Freya & Zoose is a story of friendship, adventure, and overcoming fear, in language both delightful and endearing.
November 19, 2025
My 5 year old daughter is really interested in explorers. This was a great story for her to listen to as a bedtime story. Though, it did make her ask a lot of questions, as some chapters brought up lots of questions about complicated situations.
Overall, it was good! I liked many aspects of it. We may revisit this again when she’s older. It was getting too advanced for her towards the end. I had to stop and explain what was happening multiple times.
Overall, it was good! I liked many aspects of it. We may revisit this again when she’s older. It was getting too advanced for her towards the end. I had to stop and explain what was happening multiple times.
May 2, 2019
This was a wonderful adventure story of strangers becoming grand traveling companions. It was a little dark and vague towards the end. There was a bit about polar exploration that would be interesting to delve into with kids. A great audiobook. I wish the ending had maintained the tone of the rest of the book. Also, the kids may need some help with some of the words. There are some doozies.
June 23, 2021
This was a funny, quick read about a rockhopper penguin named Freya and her contrarian travelling partner, Zoose the mouse. The book was amusing, character-driven, and enjoyable. The kids I program for loved the excerpt I read to them, along with the Essex accent I gave Zoose (courtesy of way too much time watching Love Island UK).
July 2, 2022
This was an interesting book with likeable characters. I read this aloud to my almost-9-year-old, 4-year-old and husband, but it was a difficult read aloud. The words were very advanced for my kids which sometimes made it hard for them to know what was going on. We were surprised and disappointed in the ending. Maybe there’s a sequel??
July 31, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up. I really liked the old fashioned writing of this book, that's what drew me to it when I flipped through it at the library. But there was sooo much death, how can this possibly be a book for young children? I started reading it with my kids, and after the beginning of talks of death, I decided to stop, but I did finish it on my own and enjoyed it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2018
This was a cute story. The penguin (Freya) and mouse (Zoose) become unlikely friends after finding themselves stranded. The story moved along at a good pace and I think children will enjoy reading about Freya's and Zoose's adventures.
May 4, 2019
It was a cute book about overcoming obstacles and making friends with "people" you normally wouldn't. However, the vocabulary was a bit high for 1-3rd grade. Also, the last chapter got very dark and death visited quite frequently. (No one in my class was expecting that.)
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