Genre: fiction
Key Stage: Upper KS4/5+ (trigger warnings: contains references to infertility and suicidal ideation).
Rating: ★★★★★
The Snow Child, Eowyn Ivey (2012)
Plot: A couple living in the Alaskan winterscape long for a child but are unable to have one so have to content themselves with making a child from the snow. However, all is not as it seems, as footprints in the snow lead Mabel and Jack to believe in the existence of a real snow child and lead them to discovering Faina, who lives in the snowy wilderness near their cabin.
Positives: Achingly beautiful descriptions of nature, the quietness of snow and of private grief.
Negatives: The ending is inevitably slightly less powerful than the beginning but doesn’t not detract from the enjoyment of reading.
If you like this, you might like: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, The Snow Goose by Paul Gallico, Fairytales by Hans Christian Andersen.
Reviewer: Ms Fox