The Ice Children
The must-read magical mystery adventure for all the family at Christmas
Published on 2. November 2023
288 pages
978-1-0350-0595-6 (ISBN)
Description
'As unforgettable as Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen" . . . a whirlingly imaginative storyline full of wonder and hope as well as warning.' - The Times
M. G. Leonard's story of a brave girl and her reindeer friend, who try to save her brother, is the perfect winter treat. The Ice Children is an exciting, modern, magical mystery adventure by the author of Beetle Boy, Adventures on Trains and the Twitchers series.
Black-and-white illustrations throughout by Penny Neville-Lee make this a perfect read for the whole family.
At the stroke of midnight on the dawn of December, five-year-old Finn Albedo is found frozen on a pedestal of ice. His heart is beating, he is smiling, but no one can wake him.
Finn's big sister, Bianca, suspects that the tall mysterious stranger who first discovered Finn knows more than they will admit and her quest to discover the truth and rescue her little brother hurls her into a fantastical winter wonderland, full of beauty, danger and irresistible spirit animals, where all is not as it seems.
'The Ice Children bursts with winter magic. It is vivid and glorious - a classic filled with heart.' -Jasbinder Bilan, author of Asha & the Spirit Bird
M. G. Leonard's story of a brave girl and her reindeer friend, who try to save her brother, is the perfect winter treat. The Ice Children is an exciting, modern, magical mystery adventure by the author of Beetle Boy, Adventures on Trains and the Twitchers series.
Black-and-white illustrations throughout by Penny Neville-Lee make this a perfect read for the whole family.
At the stroke of midnight on the dawn of December, five-year-old Finn Albedo is found frozen on a pedestal of ice. His heart is beating, he is smiling, but no one can wake him.
Finn's big sister, Bianca, suspects that the tall mysterious stranger who first discovered Finn knows more than they will admit and her quest to discover the truth and rescue her little brother hurls her into a fantastical winter wonderland, full of beauty, danger and irresistible spirit animals, where all is not as it seems.
'The Ice Children bursts with winter magic. It is vivid and glorious - a classic filled with heart.' -Jasbinder Bilan, author of Asha & the Spirit Bird
Reviews / Votes
This gripping adventure for 8+ is a sparkling, elegant homage to Andersen's 'The Snow Queen', with a powerful conservationist slant. * The Guardian * Utterly Spellbinding -- Phil Earle, author of <i>When the Sky Falls</i> As unique and precious as a snowflake, The Ice Children feels fresh and exciting, yet as timeless and magical as a classic. I have no doubt this book will be read and enjoyed for many generations to come - and may even help to change the world. -- Jess French, author of the Beast Lands series I loved this! Weird and wonderful, packed full of peril and adventure, this wildly imaginative book is an absolute page-turner for both children and parents alike. A cracking and inspiring read written with real heart and passion. -- Liz Hyder, author of <i>Bearmouth</i> Leonard is at her best in this this chilly adventure . . . Drawing on traditional tales such as The Snow Queen, this thrilling drama with a powerful environmental message is so shiveringly atmospheric that it will make you wish for snow * Daily Mail * A modern day classic. Full of heart and hope -- Hannah Gold, bestselling author of<i> The Last Bear</i> Glittering adventure * The Independent * A perfect Christmas gift -- Piers Torday,<i> author of The Last Wild </i> M. G. Leonard's dazzling adventure story upends the snowglobe of familiar fairytales into a blizzard of delights: courageous children, adorable animals, a chilling threat and a passionate plea for the environment. A spectacular frostbitten fantasy destined to emerge as a future classic. -- Sam Sedgman, author of<i> The Clockwork Conspiracy</i> A chip of the Andersen ice block . . . Revelling in the pleasures of snow and ice, and passionate about creatures associated with winter, this teaches us that love, nature and stories are powerful - and not to burn fossil fuels. -- Nicolette Jones * The Sunday Times Book of the Week * The Ice Children bursts with winter magic. It is vivid and glorious - a classic filled with heart. -- Jasbinder Bilan, author of<i> Asha & The Spirit Bird</i> As intricate and beautiful as a snowflake. M. G. Leonard has spun a magical masterpiece that children will love. -- Maz Evans, author of <i>Who Let the Gods Out?</i> The Ice Children is written in her familiar quick-fire prose, and contains all the suspense that her readers have come to expect . . . Leonard's skill is to capture some of the enchantment of Andersen's fairy-tale, while creating a modern story that's thoroughly her own. * The Daily Telegraph * Leonard's talent for writing exciting mystery stories, combing with the mesmerising danger of Hans Christian Andersen's original fairy tale, make this a compelling winter treat, full of jeopardy and excitement. There is a strong ecological message, too. -- Charlotte Eyre * The Bookseller * As unforgettable as Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Snow Queen' . . . a whirlingly imaginative storyline full of wonder and hope as well as warning. * The Times * Leonard's quickfire prose creates a fairytale with a refreshingly modern feel * The Oldie * Ideal for curling up with on a frosty day * Woman's Weekly * The heart tugs echo those which give the Hans Christian Andersen classic its emotional helft - the fragility of childhood, the lurking danger of the dark adult world and the enormous power of love and faith. * The Big Issue * The wintry setting, fairy tale inspiration and dynamic mystery story mean [The Ice Children] will make a wonderful gift. * The Bookseller * This book literally sparkles with winter magic. Like a snowflake, it is really one of a kind. * Mini Traveller blog * The Ice Children by M.G. Leonard takes The Snow Queen . . . readers will mainly relish the sense of magic, the magical world and the talking animals that protect the children there. * Books for Keeps * The importance of protecting the planet is driven home in this reimagining of The Snow Queen . . . Revelling in the pleasures of snow and ice, and passionate about creatures associated withwinter, this teaches us that love, nature and stories are powerful - and not to burn fossil fuels. * Lancashire Evening Post *
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Pan Macmillan
Target group
Children/juvenile
Interest Age: From 8 to 11 years
File size
18,86 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-0350-0595-6 (9781035005956)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
M. G. Leonard
The Ice Children
Book
10/2024
Macmillan Children's Books
€10.50
Shipment within 15-20 days
M. G. Leonard
The Ice Children
Book
11/2023
Macmillan Children's Books
€16.50
Shipment within 15-20 days
Persons
M.G. Leonard has made up stories since she was a girl, but back then adults called them lies or tall tales and she didn't write them down. As a grown up, her favourite things to create stories about are beetles, birds, and trains. Her books have been translated into over forty languages and won many awards. She is the vice president of the insect charity Buglife, and a founding author of Authors4Oceans. She lives in Brighton with her husband, two sons, a dog called Nell, and a variety of exotic beetles. She is the bestselling writer of children's books such as The Ice Children, Beetle Boy, the Adventures on Trains series and The Twitchers books.
Penny Neville-Lee was raised on a healthy diet of Saturday cartoons and MGM musicals. Never happier than when creating, she spent her early years drawing and making and was rarely found without a doodle somewhere in the margins. Penny studied MA Painting at the Royal College of Art. After several years making large oil paintings of gloomy woods in the company of Radio 4 and some studio mice, she had her small son, shifted to the kitchen table and realised there might be something in those doodles after all. Penny is inspired by small people, bright colours, a blank page and newly sharpened pencils. She lives in Manchester with her two children, husband and very adventurous cat.
Penny Neville-Lee was raised on a healthy diet of Saturday cartoons and MGM musicals. Never happier than when creating, she spent her early years drawing and making and was rarely found without a doodle somewhere in the margins. Penny studied MA Painting at the Royal College of Art. After several years making large oil paintings of gloomy woods in the company of Radio 4 and some studio mice, she had her small son, shifted to the kitchen table and realised there might be something in those doodles after all. Penny is inspired by small people, bright colours, a blank page and newly sharpened pencils. She lives in Manchester with her two children, husband and very adventurous cat.
