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Lucia and the Light
Luminously illustrated by Mary GrandPre, a timeless adventure from master storyteller Phyllis Root about the loss of the sun - and one girl's brave quest to find it.
In a cozy cabin high in the mountains of the Far North, Lucia and her family live a snug and contented life. But one day the wind screams fiercely and the sun does not rise over the mountain. Someone has stolen the sun! "Perhaps it has lost its way," says Lucia, who despite her mother's pleas sets out to find it with only a bit of bread, a tinderbox, and her milk-white cat to keep her company. In dramatic pastels, Mary GrandPre illuminates troll-pocked frozen mountains and wraps Lucia's family in a blanket of warmth. Inspired by Nordic lore, Phyllis Root spins a golden yarn of courage, love, and the age-old longing for the return of light.
In a cozy cabin high in the mountains of the Far North, Lucia and her family live a snug and contented life. But one day the wind screams fiercely and the sun does not rise over the mountain. Someone has stolen the sun! "Perhaps it has lost its way," says Lucia, who despite her mother's pleas sets out to find it with only a bit of bread, a tinderbox, and her milk-white cat to keep her company. In dramatic pastels, Mary GrandPre illuminates troll-pocked frozen mountains and wraps Lucia's family in a blanket of warmth. Inspired by Nordic lore, Phyllis Root spins a golden yarn of courage, love, and the age-old longing for the return of light.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published October 10, 2006
1 person is currently reading
216 people want to read
About the author
Phyllis Root
107 books71 followers"Picture books are performances," says Phyllis Root, quoting some sage advice she once received. "They're performances that involve a child--something both of you do. And once I started thinking of them that way, I started getting much looser about making up words and playing around with rhythm."
Phyllis Root picked up an early affinity for colloquial language while growing up in Indiana and southern Illinois, "where people actually say things like, 'I got a hitch in my git-along'!" She decided to be a writer in the fifth grade, but it wasn't until she was thirty years old that she took a writing course with an influential teacher who gave her "the tools" she says she needed. "That's when I figured out that you could learn to be a writer," she says. What followed was a series of rollicking stories that take on a new life when read aloud, among them ONE DUCK STUCK, a one-of-a-kind counting book; KISS THE COW!, an affectionate salute to stubbornness; WHAT BABY WANTS, a tale of increasingly ridiculous efforts to quiet an infant that one reviewer compared to an episode of I LOVE LUCY, and LOOKING FOR A MOOSE, a buoyant tale with a final surprise discovery.
The author does "endless rewriting" before a book is finished, but often starts out by writing her stories in her head, a trick she learned as a time-pressed mother when her two daughters were very young. For example, RATTLETRAP CAR--a joyful celebration of perseverance--began with her playing around with sounds ("clinkety clankety, bing bang pop!") and calling up bits of old camp songs.
A master of rhythmic read-alouds, Phyllis Root exhibits a range many writers would envy. Her counting book TEN SLEEPY SHEEP is as serene and lulling as ONE DUCK STUCK is rambunctious. "Counting sheep isn't always easy," she notes. "Once, while we were farm-sitting, my daughter and I had to chase down two runaway lambs in the growing darkness, then count twenty-seven frisky lambs to make sure they were all safe for the night. Luckily, they were." OLIVER FINDS HIS WAY is a quiet, classic picture book about a defining moment in the life of a small child--getting lost and having the pluck to find the way home. On the other extreme, Phyllis Root takes on no less than the whole universe in BIG MOMMA MAKES THE WORLD, a powerful, original, down-home creation myth that received rave reviews and won the prestigious BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Award. Most recently, Phyllis Root penned LUCIA AND THE LIGHT, a timeless adventure about one brave girl's quest that was inspired by Nordic lore.
When she's not writing, Phyllis Root teaches at Vermont College's MFA in Writing for Children program. She lives with her two daughters and two cats in a 100-year-old house in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and loves to read (mostly mysteries with female protagonists) or spend time outdoors gardening, camping, sailing, or traveling. "One of the things I've learned about myself," she confides, "is that when I get really stuck and can't seem to get writing, it's because I've forgotten to take time out to play."
Phyllis Root picked up an early affinity for colloquial language while growing up in Indiana and southern Illinois, "where people actually say things like, 'I got a hitch in my git-along'!" She decided to be a writer in the fifth grade, but it wasn't until she was thirty years old that she took a writing course with an influential teacher who gave her "the tools" she says she needed. "That's when I figured out that you could learn to be a writer," she says. What followed was a series of rollicking stories that take on a new life when read aloud, among them ONE DUCK STUCK, a one-of-a-kind counting book; KISS THE COW!, an affectionate salute to stubbornness; WHAT BABY WANTS, a tale of increasingly ridiculous efforts to quiet an infant that one reviewer compared to an episode of I LOVE LUCY, and LOOKING FOR A MOOSE, a buoyant tale with a final surprise discovery.
The author does "endless rewriting" before a book is finished, but often starts out by writing her stories in her head, a trick she learned as a time-pressed mother when her two daughters were very young. For example, RATTLETRAP CAR--a joyful celebration of perseverance--began with her playing around with sounds ("clinkety clankety, bing bang pop!") and calling up bits of old camp songs.
A master of rhythmic read-alouds, Phyllis Root exhibits a range many writers would envy. Her counting book TEN SLEEPY SHEEP is as serene and lulling as ONE DUCK STUCK is rambunctious. "Counting sheep isn't always easy," she notes. "Once, while we were farm-sitting, my daughter and I had to chase down two runaway lambs in the growing darkness, then count twenty-seven frisky lambs to make sure they were all safe for the night. Luckily, they were." OLIVER FINDS HIS WAY is a quiet, classic picture book about a defining moment in the life of a small child--getting lost and having the pluck to find the way home. On the other extreme, Phyllis Root takes on no less than the whole universe in BIG MOMMA MAKES THE WORLD, a powerful, original, down-home creation myth that received rave reviews and won the prestigious BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Award. Most recently, Phyllis Root penned LUCIA AND THE LIGHT, a timeless adventure about one brave girl's quest that was inspired by Nordic lore.
When she's not writing, Phyllis Root teaches at Vermont College's MFA in Writing for Children program. She lives with her two daughters and two cats in a 100-year-old house in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and loves to read (mostly mysteries with female protagonists) or spend time outdoors gardening, camping, sailing, or traveling. "One of the things I've learned about myself," she confides, "is that when I get really stuck and can't seem to get writing, it's because I've forgotten to take time out to play."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
June 23, 2009
Cute story about a little girl living with her family in and isolated cabin a mountainous and wintery land. One day the sun stops coming up, so Lucia and her cat set out to find and restore it.
March 21, 2015
Nice pictures and a decent idea, but the story is lacking. Where is Lucia's father, anyway? No mention of him. And no mention of her mother's father either. Only two people are given names in the story: Lucia and "old Bjorn" who froze to death last winter. Why does he need a name? Not even her brother gets a name. The only two things Lucia takes with her are used poorly: the bread and the tinderbox. Very unsatisfying. This book reads like a first draft. It could have used a qualified editor who would challenge the author on these things and who would draw out a really good tale.
December 10, 2008
This is a beautiful, mystical book about a girl who goes looking for the sun. After the winter and the endless cold, sunless days become too much for her, her mother, her brother, their cat and their cow, Lucia takes matters into her own hands, setting out on her skis with her snow-white cat to find out what happened to the sun. Lucia is brave and kind, willing to risk meeting trolls and willing to face the biting cold, to bring warmth back to her world.
The pictures are lovely as well, and do their job to help illustrate the story - thanks to Mary GrandPre, (illustrator of the US Harry Potter books! And yes, I can totally see the similarities!)
The pictures are lovely as well, and do their job to help illustrate the story - thanks to Mary GrandPre, (illustrator of the US Harry Potter books! And yes, I can totally see the similarities!)
January 17, 2012
Beautiful illustrations complement a well told story. Lucia is part of a warm and loving family. But when the sun vanishes, things become very difficult for her family. So Lucia sets off, accompanied by the milk white cat, to find and rescue the sun. Lucia is brave and uses her ingenuity to solve the problem...along with a little help from the cat. I love that the cat helps her, showing (but never explicitly stating) that sometimes we need help from a friend or family member to solve our problems. We should do all that we can and then get the help we need. Love this book!
October 1, 2022
A story about a little girl who rescues the sun from trolls in midwinter. Perfect reading for a blizzard. I thought this was about St Lucia, given her ancient associations with light, but it's not. A cute story, but one of those child-saves-the-whole-world types that I don't tend to love.
January 20, 2012
Lots of adventure and beautiful imagery. Reminds me a bit of fairy tales; it is inspired by Nordic lore. Big bonus for Harry Potter fans--the illustrator is Mary GrandPre, illustrator of the US editions of the HP books! Some similarities here, which is fun, but also definitely suits this tale.
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September 29, 2013Inspired by a Norse folk tale, this is the compelling story of a little girl who bravely journeys up the mountain to rescue the sun, in order to bring light and warmth back to the land.
My girls loved this story, so much so that they asked if we can check it out of the library again. (It's due back today, and we're on our second renewal, so we can't keep it longer.) Even my three-year-old Susanna sat completely enthralled by the story. (She was the first one to spot the shadow of a troll, a portent of things to come, made by the shadows cast from hanging baskets in the family's cabin.)
The pictures are luminously beautiful. The medium looks like pastel, but I'm not sure. However they're done, they have an ethereal softness to them that is very dreamy. The way GrandPre captures light is amazing. The book is a beautiful marriage of art and text.
This is our first encounter with both Phyllis Root's and Mary GrandPre's work, and we will definitely check out other books by these talented women.
My girls loved this story, so much so that they asked if we can check it out of the library again. (It's due back today, and we're on our second renewal, so we can't keep it longer.) Even my three-year-old Susanna sat completely enthralled by the story. (She was the first one to spot the shadow of a troll, a portent of things to come, made by the shadows cast from hanging baskets in the family's cabin.)
The pictures are luminously beautiful. The medium looks like pastel, but I'm not sure. However they're done, they have an ethereal softness to them that is very dreamy. The way GrandPre captures light is amazing. The book is a beautiful marriage of art and text.
This is our first encounter with both Phyllis Root's and Mary GrandPre's work, and we will definitely check out other books by these talented women.
January 27, 2012
Lucia lives in a cozy cabin with her mother, baby brother, a cow, and a milk-white cat. They are way up North surrounded by mountains, so they are used to harsh winters…but this winter is especially cold because the sun is gone. Lucia and her milk-white cat set out into the blustery cold determined to find the sun and bring warmth back to their cabin. Will they be able to survive the cold? Avoid the trolls? And find the sun?
Root’s writing is eloquent and begs to be read aloud. GrandPre’s illustrations are expressive and capture the coldness of the winter, as well as the warmth of the sun. I enjoyed the bond between Lucia and her family, especially milk-white cat. Perhaps my favorite feature of this beautiful story is its ties to Nordic folklore.
Root’s writing is eloquent and begs to be read aloud. GrandPre’s illustrations are expressive and capture the coldness of the winter, as well as the warmth of the sun. I enjoyed the bond between Lucia and her family, especially milk-white cat. Perhaps my favorite feature of this beautiful story is its ties to Nordic folklore.
January 8, 2017
2nd read, 2nd attempt to appreciate. But I don't feel as if there's quite enough here. Enough of what, I'm not sure, but I wound up being most moved by the fate of the trolls. Poor things.
February 23, 2020
Lucia lived, together with her mother, her baby brother, the family's velvet-brown cow, and their milk-white pet cat, in a small mountain cabin, far to the north. Although it was a humble and solitary life, they were happy - until the winter's day on which the sun disappeared, leaving the world in icy darkness. When the sun does not return, and their food runs low, Lucia sets out, despite the misgivings of her mother, to retrieve the celestial orb, confronting deadly cold and dangerous mountain trolls in the process...
Given the title of this one, and its cover-art, I rather expected that it would have something to do with Saint Lucia, who is associated with light, and whose celebration day, which falls on December 13th, is so strongly tied to Scandinavia. What it is instead, is an original fairy-tale, inspired (according to the dust-jacket blurb) by "Nordic lore," in which a determined young girl, assisted by her faithful feline companion, triumphs over adversity, and succeeds in her quest. Although I wouldn't say that Lucia and the Light was destined to become one of my favorites, I did enjoy the story, and thought the artwork, done in pastels by Mary GrandPré - best known for her work on the American editions of the Harry Potter books - was quite appealing. Recommended to young readers who enjoy heroic tales, particularly when the hero is a heroine.
Given the title of this one, and its cover-art, I rather expected that it would have something to do with Saint Lucia, who is associated with light, and whose celebration day, which falls on December 13th, is so strongly tied to Scandinavia. What it is instead, is an original fairy-tale, inspired (according to the dust-jacket blurb) by "Nordic lore," in which a determined young girl, assisted by her faithful feline companion, triumphs over adversity, and succeeds in her quest. Although I wouldn't say that Lucia and the Light was destined to become one of my favorites, I did enjoy the story, and thought the artwork, done in pastels by Mary GrandPré - best known for her work on the American editions of the Harry Potter books - was quite appealing. Recommended to young readers who enjoy heroic tales, particularly when the hero is a heroine.
February 10, 2010
Dark illustrations and talk of trolls and a sense of scarcity made the danger in this story earnestly threatening to my little one. The quick burst of light at the end didn't balance out the long dark part. He should have been freaked, but he said only, "it was a right story." Hard to tell what he meant by that. Maybe it was an emotionally satisfying story for him, a tale that seemed more true than other picture books he has heard. I liked it for that reason, anyway. It felt very much like a Margo Lanagan story in which the universe/fates/gods give magic to the downtrodden as a kind of compassion, and they are still hopeless but now with magic and spirit and sun.
January 10, 2017
I'm not sure if my 6yo has ever responded this enthusiastically about any story we've read. Lovely, suspenseful, ties to our Scandinavian background and the holidays. Nice illustrations. A keeper.
July 7, 2017
This is SO sweet! I love it! It's Winter and cold and children! A few of my very favorite things! :D Read and ENJOY!
November 15, 2009
Lucia - not literally Santa Lucia, though the parallels are obvious - is a small child living way way waaaaay up north in... gosh, Sweden? Norway? One of those places where winter MEANS something. But even in the winter, her family is happy. They have a cow to give milk, and a little house, and they keep each other company.
Until the sun doesn't rise. And it doesn't rise, and it doesn't rise, and it doesn't rise. And it keeps on not rising until the cow dries up and they run out of flour and it is cold cold cold. And Lucia decides to go up into the mountains and find out what's wrong.
I credit the author in making clear that her mother does NOT condone this act. Little girls really shouldn't be wandering in the endless night where child-eating trolls dwell. So Lucia just sneaks out.
And finds the trolls and gets the sun back from where they've hidden it, and turns them all to stone. Quite a job for a small child!
It's a great book. I love it. Great story, sounds very traditional (though I don't think it is), lovely illustrations. Only thing is that it's really a bit wordy. I can't point to an adjective or a sentence that I'd cut out, every word fits neatly in its place, but this book is probably best to be read to older children, or at least those with good attention spans.
Until the sun doesn't rise. And it doesn't rise, and it doesn't rise, and it doesn't rise. And it keeps on not rising until the cow dries up and they run out of flour and it is cold cold cold. And Lucia decides to go up into the mountains and find out what's wrong.
I credit the author in making clear that her mother does NOT condone this act. Little girls really shouldn't be wandering in the endless night where child-eating trolls dwell. So Lucia just sneaks out.
And finds the trolls and gets the sun back from where they've hidden it, and turns them all to stone. Quite a job for a small child!
It's a great book. I love it. Great story, sounds very traditional (though I don't think it is), lovely illustrations. Only thing is that it's really a bit wordy. I can't point to an adjective or a sentence that I'd cut out, every word fits neatly in its place, but this book is probably best to be read to older children, or at least those with good attention spans.
October 10, 2017
Summary: Lucia and her mother live a content life, until one day the sun does not rise. Once it starts affecting their life, Lucia decides to go on a quest to find the sun and bring it back.
Evaluation: This Nordic lore inspired book was a good book, but I felt as if it were lacking in academic challenge. It could have included a more challenging vocabulary.
Teaching Idea: For lower grades, the students could read this book and sequence what has happened in the story, but I believe this story should be read for entertainment.
Evaluation: This Nordic lore inspired book was a good book, but I felt as if it were lacking in academic challenge. It could have included a more challenging vocabulary.
Teaching Idea: For lower grades, the students could read this book and sequence what has happened in the story, but I believe this story should be read for entertainment.
December 4, 2014
Such a fun new story! I love this sweet little folk tale about a brave and adventurous little girl and her quest to find the sun. Also, the illustrations by Mary GrandPré are wonderful!
February 24, 2017
I picked this one up at the library because I saw it was illustrated by the original illustrator of the US editions of the Harry Potter series. The artwork and the story are both beautiful.
October 9, 2017
A Norwegian-style fairy tale (with trolls!) about the sun going missing and a little girl who goes out to solve the problem.
There's a clever cat who is very helpful.
There's a clever cat who is very helpful.
December 12, 2019
My daughter and I both enjoyed this mystic Nordic tale. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is enthralling. Might be a bit dark for younger readers.
December 27, 2024
One day, the sun doesn't rise. Lucia realizes that she will have to go and find it, so she sets out on her skis to figure out what happened and save the world from darkness.
This is clearly a fairy tale, and it has quite a bit of text. It has a magical ending with some fun friendly moments along the way. I like fairy tales and fairy tale style, but I could understand if your child gets a little bored during the introductory pages.
This is clearly a fairy tale, and it has quite a bit of text. It has a magical ending with some fun friendly moments along the way. I like fairy tales and fairy tale style, but I could understand if your child gets a little bored during the introductory pages.
November 19, 2020
I've read so many books so I can't pinpoint but had a sense of deja vu.
Beautifully written and requires a certain flair to read to little ones. Disobeying her only parent was disappointing and then taking the only tinder box.
Favorite line by her mother:
"We will be each other's sun until the real sun returns"
Beautifully written and requires a certain flair to read to little ones. Disobeying her only parent was disappointing and then taking the only tinder box.
Favorite line by her mother:
"We will be each other's sun until the real sun returns"
January 4, 2017
Honestly, one of the best books I've read to my children in a long time. Truly age appropriate (ages 5 and 7.) A suspenseful story with beautiful illustrations.
January 12, 2022
this was long but really well done, a-typical fairy tale
April 2, 2024
Found in L4L Volume 107
January 21, 2012
Lucia and the Light by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Mary GrandPré, follows the quest of Lucia and her milk-white cat who set off to find the sun, facing dangerous cold and greedy, evil trolls.
In the cold Far North, Lucia lived with her mother, little brother, a cow and a milk-white cat. When the sun disappears and does not return, Lucia and the cat set out to find the sun, taking only a bread crust and a tinderbox. At the top of the mountain, trolls surround Lucia, taunting her and threatening to eat her. She tries to fool them with her tinderbox, but fails. The cat, however, bats away the rag ball which covers the sun. The sun rolls off, emerges from the rags and bounces up into the sky, turning all the trolls to stone. Lucia and cat return home, eat breakfast, and fall asleep in the sunshine.
Based on a Nordic legend, the text is in a large font. Descriptive vocabulary used includes words like glimmer, shivered, wailed, nipped, squeaked, scraggly, stomped, clambered, sputtered, dazzlingly and poked. The text emphasizes the frigid conditions.
GrandPré's detailed illustrations were done in pastels. The scenery illlustrations are particularly impressive, especially the views of the mountain, and the smoke from the chimney. An inside shadow depicting a troll is also excellent. The pictures bring the frigid cold and darkness of the Far North right to the reader. My favorite images include the cover, title page, verso, cat drinking milk, climbing the mountain, sleepy Lucia in the snow, Lucia surrounded by trolls, Lucia with her tinderbox, cat batting the rag ball, the sun emerging, Lucia hugging the cat, skiing down the mountain, Lucia walking inside, and the final image.
The text is engaging and the illustrations varying from darkly meanacing to hauntingly beautiful. I'm glad this was a Goodreads Picture Book Club selection, otherwise I might never have found it. Recommended for school and public library collections.
For ages 5 to 8, winter, adventure, danger, trolls, animals, fantasy, quests, heroines, and fans of Phyllis Root and Mary GrandPré.
In the cold Far North, Lucia lived with her mother, little brother, a cow and a milk-white cat. When the sun disappears and does not return, Lucia and the cat set out to find the sun, taking only a bread crust and a tinderbox. At the top of the mountain, trolls surround Lucia, taunting her and threatening to eat her. She tries to fool them with her tinderbox, but fails. The cat, however, bats away the rag ball which covers the sun. The sun rolls off, emerges from the rags and bounces up into the sky, turning all the trolls to stone. Lucia and cat return home, eat breakfast, and fall asleep in the sunshine.
Based on a Nordic legend, the text is in a large font. Descriptive vocabulary used includes words like glimmer, shivered, wailed, nipped, squeaked, scraggly, stomped, clambered, sputtered, dazzlingly and poked. The text emphasizes the frigid conditions.
GrandPré's detailed illustrations were done in pastels. The scenery illlustrations are particularly impressive, especially the views of the mountain, and the smoke from the chimney. An inside shadow depicting a troll is also excellent. The pictures bring the frigid cold and darkness of the Far North right to the reader. My favorite images include the cover, title page, verso, cat drinking milk, climbing the mountain, sleepy Lucia in the snow, Lucia surrounded by trolls, Lucia with her tinderbox, cat batting the rag ball, the sun emerging, Lucia hugging the cat, skiing down the mountain, Lucia walking inside, and the final image.
The text is engaging and the illustrations varying from darkly meanacing to hauntingly beautiful. I'm glad this was a Goodreads Picture Book Club selection, otherwise I might never have found it. Recommended for school and public library collections.
For ages 5 to 8, winter, adventure, danger, trolls, animals, fantasy, quests, heroines, and fans of Phyllis Root and Mary GrandPré.
May 25, 2008
curses on those children's librarians and their picture book displays
because i stumble across so many lovely books like Lucia and the Light by Phyllis Root (illustrated by the most talented Mary Grandpré) that i then simply must possess!
Lucia and the Light is inspired by Nordic lore and is set in the mountains of the Far North (and of course the cold, cold, dark, dark winter) which is made even darker and colder by the fact that the sun has gone away. Lucia can stand it no more and decides she will go in search of the sun though her grandmother warns of trolls.
When she opens the door to leave, her loyal (i stress this word, because yes, it is possible for creatures of the feline persuasion to possess this trait) and beautiful milk-white cat "jumped from the windowsill into her hood and went out into the swirling snow with her. Lucia was glad for the company and the warmth of the milk-white cat around her neck."
Lucia laboriously skied her way up the mountain and met the inevitable trolls who threatened to eat her up. But the beautiful and brave milk-white cat saves the day in the end. to learn how you must (absolutely must) pick up this enticing and oh-so-alluring book for yourself!
because i stumble across so many lovely books like Lucia and the Light by Phyllis Root (illustrated by the most talented Mary Grandpré) that i then simply must possess!
Lucia and the Light is inspired by Nordic lore and is set in the mountains of the Far North (and of course the cold, cold, dark, dark winter) which is made even darker and colder by the fact that the sun has gone away. Lucia can stand it no more and decides she will go in search of the sun though her grandmother warns of trolls.
When she opens the door to leave, her loyal (i stress this word, because yes, it is possible for creatures of the feline persuasion to possess this trait) and beautiful milk-white cat "jumped from the windowsill into her hood and went out into the swirling snow with her. Lucia was glad for the company and the warmth of the milk-white cat around her neck."
Lucia laboriously skied her way up the mountain and met the inevitable trolls who threatened to eat her up. But the beautiful and brave milk-white cat saves the day in the end. to learn how you must (absolutely must) pick up this enticing and oh-so-alluring book for yourself!
December 22, 2010
The oil pastel illustrations were gorgeous. Similar to the other Phyllis Root story I read, the illustrations were definitely the better part of the book.
As for the story itself, it was almost a 5-star book. The heroine of this folk talk is Lucia, who lives with her mother and baby brother & their cow and cat in the Far North. One day, the sun stops rising and life goes from difficult to unbearable. Lucia decides that she is going to climb the mountains near her house to find the sun and bring back the Light.
Although Lucia is very brave and clever, it is ultimately her cat who finds the sun. And while I probably love cats more than the average reader, I was disappointed that it wasn't the young female protagonist, a minority in children's folk tales anyway, who actually saves the day--instead it is a nameless animal who decides to go with her on its own. Maybe it adds a little realism to the story, showing how sometimes despite one's best-laid plans and cleverness, the win actually comes by accident, through Grace. Still, it was disappointing enough to keep me from completely enjoying the story.
As for the story itself, it was almost a 5-star book. The heroine of this folk talk is Lucia, who lives with her mother and baby brother & their cow and cat in the Far North. One day, the sun stops rising and life goes from difficult to unbearable. Lucia decides that she is going to climb the mountains near her house to find the sun and bring back the Light.
Although Lucia is very brave and clever, it is ultimately her cat who finds the sun. And while I probably love cats more than the average reader, I was disappointed that it wasn't the young female protagonist, a minority in children's folk tales anyway, who actually saves the day--instead it is a nameless animal who decides to go with her on its own. Maybe it adds a little realism to the story, showing how sometimes despite one's best-laid plans and cleverness, the win actually comes by accident, through Grace. Still, it was disappointing enough to keep me from completely enjoying the story.
January 20, 2012
This is a fascinating story about a little girl who brings back the light during a time of darkness. It seemed like it was a Nordic tale, so I did a little research and it appears that this story is somewhat of an allusion to the St. Lucia's Day celebrations that occur over much of Northern Europe. The story is dramatic and engaging and the illustrations are shaded in darkness for most of the story, Impressing upon the reader the feeling of what she experienced. And the ending was certainly climactic, with the illustrations effectively showing the joy and relief for the light. I only wish that there was an author's note that explained more of the background of the story and the inspiration for this book. We really enjoyed reading it together.
This story was selected as one of the books for the January 2012 - Children on Adventures/Exploring reads at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
This story was selected as one of the books for the January 2012 - Children on Adventures/Exploring reads at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
February 23, 2016
Luminously illustrated by Mary GrandPre, a timeless adventure from master storyteller Phyllis Root about the loss of the sun - and one girl's brave quest to find it.
In a cozy cabin high in the mountains of the Far North, Lucia and her family live a snug and contented life. But one day the wind screams fiercely and the sun does not rise over the mountain. Someone has stolen the sun! "Perhaps it has lost its way," says Lucia, who despite her mother's pleas sets out to find it with only a bit of bread, a tinderbox, and her milk-white cat to keep her company. In dramatic pastels, Mary GrandPre illuminates troll-pocked frozen mountains and wraps Lucia's family in a blanket of warmth. Inspired by Nordic lore, Phyllis Root spins a golden yarn of courage, love, and the age-old longing for the return of light.
In a cozy cabin high in the mountains of the Far North, Lucia and her family live a snug and contented life. But one day the wind screams fiercely and the sun does not rise over the mountain. Someone has stolen the sun! "Perhaps it has lost its way," says Lucia, who despite her mother's pleas sets out to find it with only a bit of bread, a tinderbox, and her milk-white cat to keep her company. In dramatic pastels, Mary GrandPre illuminates troll-pocked frozen mountains and wraps Lucia's family in a blanket of warmth. Inspired by Nordic lore, Phyllis Root spins a golden yarn of courage, love, and the age-old longing for the return of light.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews