To the Ice
In Thomas Tidholm’s chapter book To the Ice, young explorers traverse a frozen world.
Jack and Max are brothers. With their friend Ida, they play in the frozen creek behind their home. But the day takes a turn when the ice floe they are standing on breaks away from the land, carrying the trio out to sea. Stuck without parents or a sense of direction, the group begins their long journey back. From icy cliffs to giant penguins, Jack, Max, and Ida encounter many obstacles and discoveries.
Supported by soft, whimsical illustrations, To the Ice is a three-chapter story that follows the trio on their adventure to return home. The book’s tone is serious. With Ida as the story’s narrator, the children’s worry is apparent; they cry with one another and try to remember how long they have been away. Determination plays a key role in their story too: they never stop pushing forward or finding new ways to stay safe. They are sometimes confused and frightened, but they are also intelligent and capable, surviving on their own in harsh conditions with limited shelter and food thanks to their creativity and moxie.
Along the way, the children also make scientific observations about the sky, their food, and the construction of their boat. Ida finds a diary—a record by a fellow group of explorers in the 1800s whose story parallels the trio’s own and is based on real polar explorers.
Three children find their way home through a harrowing frozen world in the chapter book To the Ice.
Reviewed by
Grace Rogers
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
