Icefall

Gr 4–7—Stuck for the winter in a hidden fortress deep in the fjords, Solveig and her siblings spend long, humdrum days waiting for spring to come in Matthew Kirby's suspenseful tale (Scholastic, 2011). They worry about their father, a Viking king, who is away waging a war. He sent his three children—the beautiful and tragic Asa, the crown prince Harald, and plain Solveig—to a safe haven with some of his warriors to wait out the war. Soon the fort becomes a prison when a traitor is discovered among them. To help keep peace, the king's skald (bard) tells stories and legends of the mighty Vikings. He realizes that Solveig also has the gift of storytelling and mentors her throughout the long winter. Their tales, filled with Scandinavian folkore, help everyone deal with betrayal, treachery, sickness, and death. Jenna Lamia gives Solveig a steady, sure voice that is perfectly pitched against the bleakness of the environment and the grim outlook for the family's future. Her pacing is excellent, and Solveig's confusion and innocence is authentically portrayed. Listeners will be enthralled.—Wendy Woodfill, Hennepin County Library, Minnetonka, MN