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Winterfrost

See a BOOK TRAILER for Winterfrost HERE
Age Range: 8 – 12 years
Grade Level: 3 – 7
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Candlewick (September 9, 2014)
ISBN-10: 0763665657
ISBN-13: 978-0763665654

Accelerated Reader Quiz? YES

An ordinary Danish Christmas turns extraordinary when a family overlooks an important folkloric tradition. Christmas has come, and with it a sparkling white winterfrost over the countryside. But twelve-year-old Bettina’s parents have been called away unexpectedly, leaving her in charge of the house, the farm, and baby Pia. In all the confusion, Bettina’s family neglects to set out the traditional bowl of Christmas rice pudding for the tiny nisse who are rumored to look after the family and their livestock. No one besides her grandfather ever believed the nisse were real, so what harm could there be in forgetting this silly custom? But when baby Pia disappears during a nap, the magic of the nisse makes itself known. To find her sister and set things right, Bettina must venture into the miniature world of these usually helpful, but sometimes mischievous folk. A delightful winter adventure for lovers of the legendary and miraculous.

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By popular request: How to pronounce the Danish words in Winterfrost
(if you speak English. If you speak something else, these pronunciations may not make a lot sense to you!

nisse - nee-suh
Pia - pee-uh
Klakke - clack-uh
Gammel - gam-mul
Pedersen - like Peterson
Hagen - hay-gun

and one English word that has caused quite a bit of stir and confusion

hay mow - mow rhymes with COW

Narrated in a comfortingly authoritative voice that is reminiscent of storytelling around a winter’s hearth, this folkloric tale is rich with depth and tradition and full of a child’s wonder of the natural world. ... A timeless story that upholds and nurtures the magical worlds of nature and childhood.
—Kirkus Reviews

Children with a fascination for all things cute and tiny will delight in the cozy details of nisse household life, with its acorn cups and thistledown stockings. At the same time, they will appreciate Bettina’s struggle to cope with very adult responsibilities. A gentle holiday adventure with a quiet message of courage and responsibility.
—School Library Journal

A sweet but suspenseful story... The plot comes together as Bettina bravely searches for her sister in the sparkling wilderness, which seems to be under some sort of winter spell.
—Booklist

Houts’s descriptions of the glistening weather phenomenon of winterfrost heighten the air of wonder in the story. The mix of fantasy, legend, and holiday tradition makes for a heady, escapist read.
—Publishers Weekly