Prepare yourself to journey across the magical snowy Icelands as we join Stella Starflake Pearl and her three fellow explorers on an unforgettable adventure to reunite with their expedition. But peril and death lurk within the shadows of the snow as the explorers come face to face with a whole myriad of magical curiosities and creatures, some good, some evil, including frost fairies, snow queens, pygmy dinosaurs and carnivorous cabbages.. But can Stella, Shay, Beanie and Ethan cross the frozen wilderness and live to tell their epic tale? I read this book in one sitting - the writing is fast-paced, light toned and engaging, but it was the characters that really made it for me. Stella is a delightfully sassy, brave and determined heroine, someone who isn’t afraid to push the boundaries. And along with Shay, a wolf-whisperer; Beanie, a healer; and Ethan, a magician, they form the perfect explorers club! Reminiscent of Philip Pullman and Katherine Rundell, Bell creates a world both whimsical and charming, perfectly mixing together adventure and fantasy to form a frosty tale to get lost in. But look deeper through the magic and adventure and you’ll see an important meaning between the pages, one of friendship, equality and the acceptance that ‘you can be whatever you want to be’.
Sequel out in November 2018!
The Polar Bear Explorers’ Club • Alex Bell • Faber Children's Books • Faber&Faber
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