Angela's Glacier

Scott (My Baba's Garden) writes of a relationship that grows between a child and a wonder of the natural world: a glacier, Iceland's Snæfellsjökull. Though it's covered in clouds in the days before Angela's birth, the glacier emerges "peacock indigo and duck-egg blue under the milky Arctic sunlight" as her father holds his infant daughter up to see it. "I will take you there," he promises, and he does, carrying her on his back, and chanting the glacier's name to the beats of his own stride. Painting loosely in digitally finished gouache watercolor that foregrounds the striated landscape, its wildlife, and the pale-skinned family, Sudyka (Little Land) portrays Angela's solo visits to the glacier over the years: "She listened to the temperature," feels its contours with her hands, and whispers to it. But as she grows older, "school, / friends, / violin, / soccer, / bike rides, / homework" steal her attention away, and the lack of visits make her heart sound strange to her. Then a journey up the glacier inspires a new vow, one that binds the glacier's name to her heartbeat. It's a deeply felt portrait of nature and self made more urgent by back matter that discusses the possible imminence of the glacier's disappearance. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Hilary McMahon, Westwood Creative Artists. Illustrator's agent: Andrea Morrison, Writers House. (Jan.)

PreS-Gr 2--The intimate connection between nature and identity is beautifully realized in the pages of this exquisite story about a girl and her glacier. When baby Angela comes into the world, her father introduces her to Snæfellsjökull, the majestic glacier near their cozy Arctic village. As she grows, Angela develops a deep emotional bond with the glacier, and it is in this sacred space where she connects to her truest self. As she becomes distracted with other activities in her tween and teen years, she feels something is missing, and her father wisely suggests revisiting her glacier. Their essential connection is reforged, and she promises to always come back. Though most readers don't have their own personal glacier, many will relate to the concept of a special location or tradition that serves as a touch point for who they are and what they believe in. Mesmerizing illustrations in digitally finished gouache paintings bring Angela's world to life, capturing the glacier's myriad shades of blue and drawing readers into the chill of swirling northern winds. The afterword includes a note from the author about his inspiration and a beautifully written message from the real-life Angela that expounds on the glacier and touches on its fragile existence in the face of climate change. VERDICT A first purchase for picture book collections, this book is an enchanting homage to the natural world and the importance of being true to ourselves.--Allison Tran