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When Swedish-born Linda McGurk moved to small-town Indiana with her American husband to start a family, she quickly realized that her outdoorsy ways were not the norm. In Sweden children play outside all year round, regardless of the weather, and letting young babies nap outside in freezing temperatures is not only common-it is a practice recommended by physicians. In the US, on the other hand, she found that the playgrounds, which she had expected to find teeming with children, were mostly deserted. In preschool, children were getting drilled to learn academic skills, while their Scandinavian counterparts were climbing trees, catching frogs, and learning how to compost. Worse, she realized that giving her daughters the same freedom to play outside that she had enjoyed as a child in Sweden could quickly lead to a visit by Child Protective Services.

Could the Scandinavian philosophy of "there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes" be the key to better lives for her American children? And how would her children's relationships with nature change by introducing them to Scandinavian concepts like friluftsliv ("open-air living") and hygge (the coziness and the simple pleasures of home)? McGurk embarked on a six-month-long journey to Sweden to find out. There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather is a fascinating personal narrative that highlights the importance of spending time outdoors, and illustrates how the Scandinavian culture could hold the key to raising healthier, resilient, and confident children in America.

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A Scandinavian Mom's Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids (from Friluftsliv to Hygge) When Swedish-born Linda McGurk moved to small-town Indiana with her American husband to start a family, she quickly realized that her outdoorsy ways were not the norm. In Sweden children play outside all year rou

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"Ellie is a deeply appealing character, and her story feels right for this moment. A reader who longs to get outdoors will appreciate Ellie's adventures on Echo Mountain. A reader who wants to make a difference will appreciate the way she rolls up her sleeves and gets things done. And surely there has never been a better time to read about healing, of both the body and the heart." - The New York Times Book Review

"Lauren Wolk has woven a mesmerizing, poignant tale-a story laced with grit and pluck about having the courage to carve out one's own life. Brilliant." -Lynda Mullaly Hunt, bestselling author of Shouting at the Rain and Fish in a Tree

★ "[A] magnificently related story of the wide arc of responsibility, acceptance, and, ultimately, connectedness.... A luscious, shivery delight." - Kirkus, starred review

★ "Fans of Wolk's previous novels, including the Newbery Honor book Wolf Hollow, will once again relish the author's evocative and touching language and her gift for revisiting history through the lens of fulsome and fascinating characters. In this complex, memorable novel, Wolk explores themes of social responsibility, modern versus traditional medicine, biological versus chosen family and more." - BookPage, starred review

★ "Complex and fiercely loving, Ellie is a girl any reader would be proud to have as a friend.... Woven with music, puppies, and healing, Wolk's beautiful storytelling turns this historical tale of family and survival into a captivating saga." - Booklist, starred review

★ "A girl realizes her standout gifts as a healer in this exquisitely layered historical novel set in Depression-era Maine.... Via strongly sketched cabin-life cadences and memorable, empathic characterizations-including, perhaps most vividly, of the wilderness itself-Newbery Honoree Wolk builds a powerful, well-paced portrait of interconnectedness, work and learning, and strength in a time of crisis." - Publishers Weekly, starred review

" A timely novel about surviving economic crisis but not today's: Wolk's tale is set in the Maine woods during the Great Depression. Soothing and exquisitely written." - People

"Every child learns at school about the dislocation of families during the Great Depression. Novelist Lauren Wolk brings readers into one such stricken household in Echo Mountain, a lyrical and affecting story.... Amid our own dislocations with the coronavirus, this is a book that will soothe readers like a healing balm." - The Wall Street Journal

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Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk: 9780525555568 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

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"Ellie is a deeply appealing character, and her story feels right for this moment. A reader who longs to get outdoors will appreciate Ellie's adventures on Echo Mountain. A reader who wants to make a difference will appreciate the way she rolls up her sleeves and gets things done.

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New York Times Bestseller Embrace Hygge (pronounced hoo-ga) and become happier with this definitive guide to the Danish philosophy of comfort, togetherness, and well-being. Why are Danes the happiest people in the world? The answer, says Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Cope

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Though the story bears some marks of a heroic quest, it is really a series of dreamy, expertly painted vignettes, set pieces both absurd and spectacular. ... Maguire's wit is shown to best advantage when in sync with his lush whimsy... In this surfeit of myth and mayhem, there are also moments of poignant quiet, when the grand quest of saving the magic of Russia recedes. In these moments, the human comes to the fore, and our focus narrows once more to a child longing for a parent, a mother longing for a child, the aching burden of living through suffering that life demands again and again. ... It is impossible not to root for girls and watches and aunts alike, and to cheer their little victories as acts of grace.
-The New York Times Book Review

Maguire marries the traditional "Prince and the Pauper" narrative to the Russian folktale of Baba Yaga with his trademark wit and aplomb. His lyrical descriptions of the drab countryside are equally detailed and moving as the charmed, floating courts of the Romanov dynasty. Each character is well-drawn and fascinating... The author weaves a lyrical tale full of magic and promise, yet checkered with the desperation of poverty and the treacherous prospect of a world gone completely awry. Egg and Spoon is a beautiful reminder that fairy tales are at their best when they illuminate the precarious balance between lighthearted childhood and the darkness and danger of adulthood.
-School Library Journal (starred review)

An epic rich with references, aphorisms and advice. An ambitious, Scheherazade-ian novel, rather like a nesting-doll set of stories, that succeeds in capturing some of the complexities of both Russia and life itself.
-Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Like the matryoshka doll Elena carries, there are a lot of layers to Maguire's story. Rich, descriptive language will reward readers who like to sink their teeth into a meaty story.
-Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Maguire savors every inch of his elaborate narrative, introducing tropes from Russian folktales and giving his characters plenty of play, especially the hardboiled Baba Yaga, who seems to exist outside of time (and is akin to Maguire's other witches). The plot meanders, developing everywhere at once yet always intriguing. ... [T]here is so much in his rich and consistently surprising prose that young readers will ... enjoy the gift of his magical story.
-The Horn Book (starred review)

Set in Tsarist Russia, Gregory Maguire's suspenseful story conjures the folkloric figure Baba Yaga-a hilariously acerbic old witch-and incorporates fantastic creatures such as the Firebird, an ice-dragon and a talking cat, to create a fairytale saga that will delight and challenge its readers. ... Egg & Spoon's phrasing and vocabulary give it a classic feel that reflects its folktale roots, as does its storyteller-style narration. ... An excellent choice for younger readers who are reading at more advanced levels. Alternating and ultimately interweaving story lines add complexity to the plot, which is driven by an enticing mix of mystery, danger and magic.
-Shelf Awareness (starred review)

Although Cat and Elena's burgeoning friendship and determination make for a heartening story, it's Maguire's Baba Yaga, full of irreverent anachronisms and a salty attitude, who steals the show... Maguire's fantastical world is filled with Russian folklore and history, particularly the growing unrest that eventually led to the October Revolution, and ... the whimsical tone and lush setting are ... plenty appealing.
-Booklist

The story flows easily although it includes uncommon vocabulary and an uncommon setting. However, the characters of Russian folklore are what captivates and holds the reader; especially Baba Yaga, who is ancient, modern, and futuristic, at the same time.
-Library Media Connection

Gregory Maguire's novels have never lacked for audacity. ... Now, taking on the rich tradition of Russian folk tales, he has allowed himself even greater extravagance in "Egg & Spoon." ... Somehow, Maguire transforms the wildness of his story into a commentary on the chaos and injustice of our own world - a sort of folkloric news of the day.
-Newsday

Even minor characters have flesh and blood, and brilliant cameo moments. ... The writing, frankly, is brilliant. ... It is common enough for a novelist to be able to plot intricately. It is common, even, for novelists to write as lyrically as poets. It is rare to find both qualities in the same novelist. ... "Egg & Spoon'' is thoughtful, engaging, and theatrical in the deepest sense. This is one of those young reader's books that may be gifted to any ardent reader of almost any age, as long as they're open to the possibilities of wonder.
-The Boston Globe

The author of 'Wicked' wows with a magical tale set in the Russian countryside, complete with wisecracking witch Baba Yaga, she of Slavic folklore fame.
-Scholastic Instructor

[Maguire] plays with Russian folk tales, with a delightful nod to the ever-wicked, ever-beguiling Baba Yaga. ... A somewhat imaginary Russified landscape, complete with magic matroishkas, and a healthy helping of playful language ... make the story here a delight.
-Globe + Mail

Maguire weaves themes of class struggle and environmental upheaval into an engaging and relatable tale. This isn't a story about desolation, but one of hope. Elena and Ekaterina prove that with a little tenacity and bravery, people can change their lives for the better.
-BookPage

The author writes nimbly.
-The Wall Street Journal

This historical fantasy is as big as Mother Russia. ... A grandly sardonic masterpiece.
-San Francisco Chronicle

A true literary gem.
-San Antonio Express News

Maguire conjures up one sumptuous image after another... A novel as intricately and colorfully detailed as Cat's Faberge egg.
-The Columbus Dispatch

So much swirls through this blizzard of a novel that it's easy to get (delightfully) lost in it. ... The adventure dashes along so compelling on its chicken legs (like Baba Yaga's enchanted house) that it's more than worth a read.
-Virginian-Pilot

The story ... [is] richly told [and] contains important lessons about wealth and inequality. ... Part fantasy, part fairy tale, part adventure, this is a children's tale also directed at grown ups - or one perhaps best enjoyed together.
-Plain Dealer

An exciting nesting doll of a novel, entertaining and rich, steeped in Russian folklore. ... Fantastic, detailed and lush, like an exquisite lacquer box.
-Star Tribune

A rich and layered story, full of gorgeous images and sentences, a matryoshka doll sort of tale. ... This fabulous witch of Russian folklore is a fabulously written character, funny, scary, wry, and just about everything possible in Maguire's capable hands. ... The plot is unique and complex, swirling around in highly unusual directions. It is staying with me and the more I mull it over the more I love it. ... A unique and wonderful read.
-Monica Edinger, Educating Alice blog

A lush and literary tale.
-Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

A great, long, lose-yourself-in-it story sparkling with the magic of Russian folklore. ... Witty and thorough in its imagining.
-Toronto Star

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Egg and Spoon by Gregory Maguire: 9780763680169 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

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"A beautiful reminder that fairy tales are at their best when they illuminate the precarious balance between lighthearted childhood and the darkness and danger of adulthood." - School...

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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author and "one of the modern masters of fantasy writing," ( Huffington Post ) a dazzling, witty telling of the Norse myths. 'A lively, funny, and very human rendition of Thor the thunder god, his father Odin, and the dark-hearted trickster Loki (plus countless other gods and monsters).'

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The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm

Perhaps no other stories possess as much power to enchant, delight, and surprise as those penned by the immortal Brothers Grimm. Now, in the new, expanded third edition, renowned scholar and folklorist Jack Zipes has translated all 250 tales collected and published by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, plus twenty-nine rare tales omitted from the original German edition, as well as narratives uncovered in the brothers' letters and papers.

Truly the most comprehensive translation to date, this critically acclaimed edition recaptures the fairy tales as the Brothers Grimm intended them to be: rich, stark, spiced with humor and violence, resonant with folklore and song.

One of the world's experts on children's literature, Jack Zipes is a professor of German at the University of Minnesota and is the author of numerous books on folklore and fairy tales.

About the Author

Jack Zipes is a preeminent fairy-tale scholar who has written, translated, and edited dozens of books, including The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm and Complete Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde. He is a professor emeritus of German and comparative literature at the University of Minnesota.

Johnny Gruelle (1880-1938) is best known for creating the world-famous rag doll characters, Raggedy Ann and Andy. While the Raggedys were indisputably the centerpiece of Gruelle's career, in his heart of hearts, Johnny was a dyed-in-the-wool freelance artist, who felt most at home at his drawing board, crafting illustrations and features for newspapers and magazines.

Read an Excerpt

The Frog King, or Iron Heinrich

In olden times, when wishing still helped, there lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful, but the youngest was so beautiful that the sun itself, which had seen so many things, was always filled with amazement each time it cast its rays upon her face. Now, there was a great dark forest near the king's castle, and in this forest, beneath an old linden tree, was a well. Whenever the days were very hot, the king's daughter would go into this forest and sit down by the edge of the cool well. If she became bored, she would take her golden ball, throw it into the air, and catch it. More than anything else she loved playing with this ball.

One day it so happened that the ball did not fall back into the princess's little hand as she reached out to catch it. Instead, it bounced right by her and rolled straight into the water. The princess followed it with her eyes, but the ball disappeared, and the well was deep, so very deep that she could not see the bottom. She began to cry, and she cried louder and louder, for there was nothing that could comfort her. As she sat there grieving over her loss a voice called out to her, "What's the matter, Princess? Your tears could move even a stone to pity."

She looked around to see where the voice was coming from and saw a frog sticking his thick, ugly head out of the water. "Oh, it's you, you old water-splasher!" she said. "I'm crying because my golden ball has fallen into the well."

"Be quiet and stop crying," the frog responded. "I'm sure I can help you. But what will you give me if I fetch your plaything?"

"Whatever you like, dear frog," she said. "My clothes, my pearls and jewels, even the golden crown I'm wearing on my head."

"I don't want your clothes, your pearls and jewels, or your golden crown," the frog replied. "But if you will love me and let me be your companion and playmate, and let me sit beside you at the table, eat from your little golden plate, drink out of your little cup, and sleep in your little bed—if you promise me all that, I'll dive down and retrieve your golden ball."

"Oh, yes," she said. "I'll promise you anything you want if only you'll bring back the ball!" However, she thought, What nonsense that stupid frog talks! He just sits in the water croaking with the rest of the frogs. How can he expect a human being to accept him as a companion?

Once the frog had her promise, he dipped his head under the water, dived downward, and soon came paddling back to the surface with the ball in his mouth. When he threw it onto the grass, the princess was so delighted to see her beautiful plaything again that she picked it up and ran off with it.

"Wait, wait!" cried the frog. "Take me with you. I can't run like you."

He croaked as loudly as he could, but what good did it do? She paid no attention to him. Instead, she rushed home and soon forgot about the poor frog, who had to climb back down into his well.

The next day, as she sat at the table with the king and his courtiers and ate from her little golden plate, something came crawling splish, splash, splish, splash up the marble steps. When it reached the top, it knocked at the door and cried out, "Princess, youngest daughter, open up!"

She ran to see who was outside. But when she opened the door and saw the frog, she quickly slammed the door shut and went back to the table in a state of fright. The king could clearly see her heart was thumping and said, "My child, what are you afraid of? Has a giant come to get you?"

"Oh, no," she answered. "It's not a giant, but a nasty frog."

"What does a frog want from you?"

"Oh, dear Father, yesterday when I was sitting and playing near the well in the forest, my golden ball fell into the water, and because I cried so much, the frog fetched it for me, and because he insisted, I had to promise he could be my companion. But I never thought he'd get out of the water. Now he's outside and wants to come in and be with me."

Just then there was a second knock at the door, and a voice cried out:

"Princess, Princess, youngest daughter, open up and let me in. Have you forgotten what you promised down by the well's cool water?

Princess, Princess, youngest daughter, open up and let me in."

Then the king said, "If you've made a promise, you must keep it. Go and let him in."

After she went and opened the door, the frog hopped into the room and followed her right to her chair, where he plopped himself down and cried out, "Lift me up beside you!"

She refused until the king finally ordered her to do so. Once the frog was on the chair, he wanted to climb onto the table, and when he made it to the table, he said, "Now push your little golden plate nearer to me so we can eat together."

To be sure, she did this, but it was quite clear that she did not like it. The frog enjoyed his meal, while each bite the princess took got stuck in her throat. Finally he said, "I've had enough, and now I'm tired. Carry me upstairs to your room and get your silken bed ready so we can go to sleep."

The princess began to cry because the cold frog frightened her. She did not even have enough courage to touch him, and yet, now she was supposed to let him sleep in her beautiful, clean bed. But the king gave her an angry look and said, "It's not proper to scorn someone who helped you when you were in trouble!"

So she picked up the frog with her two fingers, carried him upstairs, and set him down in a corner. Soon after she had got into bed, he came crawling over to her and said, "I'm tired and want to sleep as much as you do. Lift me up, or I'll tell your father!"

This made the princess extremely angry, and after she picked him up, she threw him against the wall with all her might.

"Now you can have your rest, you nasty frog!"

However, when he fell to the ground, he was no longer a frog but a prince with kind and beautiful eyes. So, in keeping with her father's wishes, she accepted him as her dear companion and husband, whereupon the prince told her that a wicked witch had cast a spell over him and no one could have got him out of the well except her, and now he intended to take her to his kingdom the next day. Then they fell asleep, and in the morning, when the sun woke them, a coach drawn by eight white horses came driving up. The horses had ostrich plumes on their heads and harnesses with golden chains. At the back of the coach stood Faithful Heinrich, the young king's servant. He had been so distressed when he had learned his master had been turned into a frog that he had ordered three iron bands be wrapped around his heart to keep it from bursting from grief and sadness. But now the coach had come to bring the young king back to his kingdom, and Faithful Heinrich helped the prince and princess into it and then took his place at the back again. He was overcome by joy because his master had been saved.

When they had traveled some distance, the prince heard a cracking noise behind him, as if something had broken. He turned around and cried out:

"Heinrich, the coach is breaking!"

"No, my lord, it's really nothing but the band around my heart, for it nearly fell apart when the witch did cast her spell and made you live as a frog in a well."

The cracking noise was heard two more times along the way, and the prince thought each time that the coach was breaking, but the noise was only the sound of the bands snapping from Faithful Heinrich's heart, for he knew his master was safe and happy.

The Companionship of the Cat and the Mouse

A cat had made the acquaintanceship of a mouse and had talked so much about his great love and friendship for her that he eventually convinced her to live with him in the same house and set up a common household.

"But we must get supplies for the winter," said the cat, "or else we'll starve. A little mouse like you can't venture just anywhere, for one of these days you might get caught in a trap."

They acted on his good advice and bought a little jar of fat, but they did not know where to put it. Finally, after long deliberation, the cat said, "I can't think of a safer place than the church. No one would dare take anything away from there. Let's put it under the altar, and we won't touch it unless we really need it."

The little jar was safely stored away, but it was not long before the cat felt a craving for it and said to the mouse, "I've been meaning to tell you, little mouse. My cousin gave birth to a baby boy, white with brown spots, and I've been asked to be godfather. I'm to hold him at the christening. Would you mind letting me go out today and looking after the house by yourself?"

"No, of course not," answered the mouse. "Go, for God's sake. If you get something good to eat, think of me. I sure would like to have a drink of that sweet, red christening wine."

Naturally, none of what the cat had said was true. He did not have a cousin, nor had he been asked to be godfather. He went straight to the church, crept to the little jar of fat, and began licking and licking until he had licked the skin off the top. Then he strolled over the roofs of the city and contemplated his opportunities. After a while he stretched himself out in the sun and wiped his whiskers whenever he thought about the little jar of fat. It was not until evening that he returned home.

"Well, you're back," the mouse said. "I'm sure you had a wonderful day."

"It wasn't bad," the cat responded.

"What name did they give the child?" the mouse asked.

"Skin-Off," the cat said dryly.

"Skin-Off?" exclaimed the mouse. "That's a strange and unusual name. Is it common in your family?"

"What's there to it?" the cat said. "It's no worse than Crumb-Thief, as your godchildren are called."

Shortly after that the cat felt another great craving and said to the mouse, "You've got to do me a favor again and look after the house by yourself. I've been asked to be godfather once more, and since the child has a white ring around his neck, I can't refuse."

The good mouse consented, and the cat went slinking behind the city wall to the church, where he ate up half the jar of fat.

"Nothing tastes better," he said, "than what you eat yourself," and he was very satisfied with his day's work. When he returned, the mouse asked, "What was this child christened?"

"Half-Gone," answered the cat.

"Half-Gone! You don't say! I've never heard of such a name in all my life. I'll bet it's not on the list of proper names."

Soon the cat's mouth began watering once more for the delicacy.

"All good things come in threes," he said to the mouse. "I've been asked to be godfather again. This child's all black and has white paws. Aside from that there's not a white hair on his body. That only happens once every few years. You'll let me go, won't you?"

"Skin-Off! Half-Gone!" the mouse responded. "Those are really curious names. I'm beginning to wonder about them."

"Look, you sit at home in your dark gray fur coat and your long pigtail," the cat said, "and you begin imagining things. That's because you don't go out during the day."

While the cat was gone, the mouse cleaned the house and put it in order. Meanwhile the greedy cat ate up the rest of the jar.

"It's only after everything's all gone," the cat said to himself, "that you can really begin to rest."

It was very late at night by the time the cat returned home, and he was fat and stuffed. The mouse asked right away what name had been given to the third child.

"You won't like this one either," the cat said. "It's All-Gone."

"All-Gone!" exclaimed the mouse. "That's the most suspicious of all the names. I've never seen it in print. All-Gone! What's it supposed to mean?" She shook her head, rolled herself up into a ball, and fell asleep.

From then on, no one asked the cat to be a godfather. But, when winter came and there was nothing more to be found outside, the mouse thought about their supply of fat and said, "Come, cat, let's go to our jar that we've been saving. It'll taste good."

"Yes," said the cat. "You'll enjoy the taste just as much as if you stuck your dainty tongue out the window."

They set out on their way, and when they got there, the jar of fat was still in its place, but it was empty.

"Oh," said the mouse. "Now I know what's happened! It's as clear as day. Some nice friend you are! You ate it all up when you went to be a godfather. First the skin, then half, then . . ."

"You better be quiet!" yelled the cat. "One more word, and I'll eat you up!"

"All gone" was already on the tip of the mouse's tongue. No sooner did she say it than the cat jumped on her, grabbed her, and devoured her.

You see, that's the way of the world.

Editorial Reviews

Splendid."
—Faith McNulty, The New Yorker

"Clearly the text of choice for any reader...Zipes' edition deserves to become the standard translation."
— The German Quarterly

From the Publisher

Is this new edition necessary? Only scholars are likely to persevere through all 32 of the ``previously untranslated'' tales found among the 242 entries. A few, rejected by the Grimms as too French or too literary, have merit; most of the others are slight variants of tales already in the canon or are fragments. There is no analysis or commentary of any individual tales, and though Zipes offers a fine introduction, he himself acknowledges the excellence of Ralph Manheim's translation of the canon (misspelling his name). Since Manheim's work is still in print and available at low cost in paper (Doubleday, 1977), only wealthy scholars, who will appreciate the identification of each tale's human or published source and date of first publication, might insist on Zipes. Patricia Dooley, formerly with English Dept., Drexel Univ., Philadelphia

Library Journal

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The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm|Paperback

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The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers GrimmPerhaps no other stories possess as much power to enchant, delight, and surprise as those penned by the immortal Brothers Grimm. Now, in the new, expanded third edition, renowned scholar and folklorist Jack Zipes has translated all 250...

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Skip to Main Content (Press Enter)

Fairy TalesAcknowledgments
Chronology
Introduction
Further Reading
Translator's Note
A Note on the Illustrations

Fairy Tales
The Tinderbox
Little Claus and Big Claus
The Princess on the Pea
Thumbelina
The Traveling Companion
The Little Mermaid
The Emperor's New Clothes
The Steadfast Tin Soldier
The Wild Swans
The Flying Trunk
The Nightingale
The Sweethearts
The Ugly Duckling
The Fir Tree
The Snow Queen
The Red Shoes
The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep
The Shadow
The Old House
The Little Match Girl
The Story of a Mother
The Collar
The Bell
The Marsh King's Daughter
The Wind Tells of Valdemar Daae and His Daughters
The Snowman
The Ice Maiden
The Wood Nymph
The Most Incredible Thing
Auntie Toothache
Notes

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Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen: 9780143039525 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

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Includes "The Little Mermaid," now a major motion picture from Disney starring Halle Bailey and directed by Rob Marshall* The famous tales of Hans Christian Andersen-some of the best-known...

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Formats and Prices

This item is a preorder. Your payment method will be charged immediately, and the product is expected to ship on or around November 6, 2012. This date is subject to change due to shipping delays beyond our control.

Description

In this magical debut, a couple's lives are changed forever by the arrival of a little girl, wild and secretive, on their snowy doorstep.

Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart - he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season's first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone - but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees.

This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.

"If Willa Cather and Gabriel Garcia Marquez had collaborated on a book, THE SNOW CHILD would be it. It is a remarkable accomplishment -- a combination of the most delicate, ethereal, fairytale magic and the harsh realities of homesteading in the Alaskan wilderness in 1918. Stunningly conceived, beautifully told, this story has the intricate fragility of a snowflake and the natural honesty of the dirt beneath your feet, the unnerving reality of a dream in the night. It fascinates, it touches the heart. It gallops along even as it takes time to pause at the wonder of life and the world in which we live. And it will stir you up and stay with you for a long, long time."

Robert Goolrick, New York Times bestselling author of A Reliable Wife

"THE SNOW CHILD is enchanting from beginning to end. Ivey breathes life into an old tale and makes it as fresh as the season' s first snow. Simply lovely."

Keith Donohue, New York Times bestselling author of The Stolen Child

"A transporting tale . . . an amazing achievement."

Sena Jeter Naslund, New York Times bestselling author of Ahab's Wife

"THE SNOW CHILD is a vivid story of isolation and hope on the Alaska frontier, a narrative of struggle with the elements and the elemental conflict between one's inner demons and dreams, and the miracle of human connection and community in a spectacular, dangerous world. You will not soon forget this story of learning to accept the gifts that fate and love can bring."

Robert Morgan, author of Gap Creek

"Eowyn Ivey's exquisite debut transports the reader away to a world almost out of time, into a fairytale destined to both chill and delight. Her portrayal of an untamed Alaska is so detailed you can feel the snowflakes on your own eyelashes, even as her characters' desperate quest for, and ultimate redemption by, love will warm your heart."

Melanie Benjamin, author of Alice I Have Been

"Magical, yes, but THE SNOW CHILD is also satisfyingly realistic in its depiction of 1920s homestead-era Alaska and the people who settled there, including an older couple bound together by resilient love. Eowyn Ivey's poignant debut novel grabbed me from the very first pages and made me wish we had more genre-defying Alaska novels like this one. Inspired by a fairy tale, it nonetheless contains more depth and truth than so many books set in this land of extremes."

Andromeda Romano-Lax, author of The Spanish Bow

"This book is real magic, shot through from cover to cover with the cold, wild beauty of the Alaskan frontier. Eowyn Ivey writes with all the captivating delicacy of the snowfalls she so beautifully describes."

Ali Shaw, author of The Girl with Glass Feet

"Long winters come alive in Ivey's novel about 1920s-era homesteaders in Alaska."

Tina Jordan, New York Times

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In this magical debut, a couple's lives are changed forever by the arrival of a little girl, wild and secretive, on their snowy doorstep. Alaska, 1920: a bru...

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Unnatural Creatures is a collection of short stories about the fantastical things that exist only in our minds—collected and introduced by beloved New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman. The sixteen stories gathered by Gaiman, winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards, range from the wh

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The thrilling Newbery Medal–winning classic about a girl lost on the Alaskan tundra and how she survives with the help of a wolf pack. Julie of the Wolves is a staple in the canon of children’s literature and the first in the Julie trilogy. The survival theme makes it a good pick for re

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“Even the dead tell stories,” begins Sedgwick’s slim yet taut and complex thriller about a family barely surviving in 1910 along the Swedish-Finnish border, 100 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Sig pieces together the story his father, Einar Andersson, is trying to tell after he discovers his frozen body on a slowly thawing lake, a risk his father would never take, and a one-thumbed, vengeful man named Gunther Wolff arrives, demanding the gold he claims he was cheated out of by Sig’s father. Alternating chapters between Sig and his older sister’s struggle with Wolff and their life ten years ago in the mining town of Nome, when their father was an assayist testing the purity of gold during a rush in the Alaska Territory, untangle Einar’s clues. Always looming in Sig’s past and present is his father’s Colt revolver and the moral dilemma: “To pull the trigger, or not to pull the trigger?” Is violence ever necessary? A chilling, atmospheric story that will haunt readers with its descriptions of a desolate terrain and Sig’s difficult decisions. (author’s note) (Thriller. YA)