Spring has arrived, and yet an unyielding winter freeze has left Louisa snowed into her apartment building for months with parents coping with extreme stress, a little brother struggling with cabin fever, and — awkwardly — her neighbor and former close friend, Luke. The new realities of this climate disaster have not only affected Louisa's family, but when Luke's dad has an ice-related accident and it's unclear if he'll recover, both families' lives are turned upside down.
Desperate to find an escape from the grief plaguing their homes, Louisa and Luke build a massive snow fort in their yard. But their creation opens up an otherworldly window to what could lie ahead, and sets them on a mission: to restore the universe to its rightful order, so the ice will melt and life will return to "normal". With a deft combination of heartfelt prose and a touch of magic, Monica Sherwood's affecting debut novel — perfect for fans of When You Reach Me, The Thing About Jellyfish, and Bridge to Terabithia — is a relatable story about the inevitability of change that will resonate profoundly during these extraordinary times.
"While parallels can be drawn with current events, a greater strength lies in accepting the Freeze as a problem to be taken on its own terms. Sherwood shows with gentleness and realism how happiness, creativity, and humor exist alongside tragedy and upheaval. People’s lives carry on even as Louisa, Luke, and their families find those lives, in their well-realized, unnamed city, unimaginably altered.... A timely exploration of climate, grief, and change." — Kirkus Reviews
Recommended Age | 10 - 13 |
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Author | Monica Sherwood |
ISBN | 0316705349 |
Publication Date | Nov 16, 2021 |
Publisher | Little, Brown Books for Young Readers |
Language | English |