I requested and received a free copy of this from the publishers, and have bought my own copy too.
The Ice Children by MG Leonard, illustrated by Penny Neville-Lee, published by Macmillan
A modern twist on Hans Christian-Andersen’s Snow Queen with a misunderstood winter queen, an environmental slant, an absolutely magical winter wonderland and a mystery to solve – this is a perfect winter read which sees MG Leonard’s knack for mystery adventure writing move into the world of fairy tale and fantasy brilliantly.
The opening to this book immediately draws you in and had me hooked:
Finn is alive, but frozen. And while police and doctors are stumped, having never seen anything like it before, and the other grown ups are preoccupied with worry and finding sensible, logical explanations, Finn’s sister Bianca is sure it’s something to do with the silver book Finn had the say before and the inscription on the pedestal of ice he’s now stood on. And so she sets off to investigate…
And this is where Leonard’s talent for mystery adventure writing kicks in, blending seamlessly with the magical winter world Bianca finds herself in as she follows the trail of clues to Finn.
The winter world itself, Winterton, is designed to be a place children are completely free and happy, never wanting to leave and it’s built brilliantly for this – hot chocolate, cream and frozen berries on tap; endless snow to build with, throw and play in; ice skating, skiing, fairground rides and more…it’s surely the definition of a Winter Wonderland.
And, as we remember how magical winter can be we’re reminded also of how much we need it. And as Bianca’s quest to save her brother continue, we see her realising that those responsible for his disappearance also need help. Winter itself needs saving.
I love the way this environmental message gradually emerges from the story; the way we see winter and its weather personified (with a funny, dramatic and engaging cast) and struggling with the threat of extinction is a really impactful way to raise the issue of global warming while adding to the mystery of the story at the same time.
The illustrations are stunning and really capture the wintery magic of the story, as well as the personalities of its characters – our introduction to Pitter, Patter, Quilo and Jack is probably one of my favourites! The intricate snowflakes depicting the children’s various ‘winter friends’ are beautiful too, as is the cover with animals hiding amongst the frost fractal design.
A winter wonderland mystery inspired by folk tales with an eco message at its core – this is a perfect winter read.
Bellis Does Books 
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