Winterfrost

Houts, Michelle

3.94

1,099 ratings by Goodreads

ISBN 10: 1491502444 ISBN 13: 9781491502440

Publisher: Candlewick on Brilliance Audio, 2014

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An ordinary Danish Christmas turns extraordinary when a family overlooks an important folkloric tradition.

Christmas has come, and with it a sparkling white winterfrost over the countryside. But twelve-year-old Bettina's parents have been called away unexpectedly, leaving her in charge of the house, the farm, and baby Pia. In all the confusion, Bettina's family neglects to set out the traditional bowl of Christmas rice pudding for the tiny nisse who are rumored to look after the family and their livestock. No one besides her grandfather ever believed the nisse were real, so what harm could there be in forgetting this silly custom? But when baby Pia disappears during a nap, the magic of the nisse makes itself known. To find her sister and set things right, Bettina must venture into the miniature world of these usually helpful, but sometimes mischievous folk. A delightful winter adventure for lovers of the legendary and miraculous.

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About the Author:

Michelle Houts is the author of the middle-grade novel The Beef Princess of Practical County and its sequel, The Practical County Drama Queen. She fell in love with the nisse folk more than twenty years ago while living in Denmark, where she became fascinated with tales of their mischief and fun. Her Danish friends continue to share nisse stories and an occasional nisse sighting. She dreams of returning to Denmark at Christmastime so she can show her gratitude to the nisse with a warm bowl of rice pudding. Michelle Houts lives on a grain and livestock farm in west central Ohio with her husband and three children.

Review:

Narrated in a comfortingly authoritative voice that is reminiscent of storytelling around a winter’s hearth, this folkloric tale is rich with depth and tradition and full of a child’s wonder of the natural world. ... A timeless story that upholds and nurtures the magical worlds of nature and childhood.
—Kirkus Reviews

Children with a fascination for all things cute and tiny will delight in the cozy details of nisse household life, with its acorn cups and thistledown stockings. At the same time, they will appreciate Bettina’s struggle to cope with very adult responsibilities. A gentle holiday adventure with a quiet message of courage and responsibility.
—School Library Journal

A sweet but suspenseful story... The plot comes together as Bettina bravely searches for her sister in the sparkling wilderness, which seems to be under some sort of winter spell.
—Booklist

Readers will enjoy this benevolent Christmastime adventure inspired by Danish folklore.
—The Horn Book

Simple and sweet, this contempo- rary fairy tale uses straightforward prose and measured pacing to tell a story both slightly otherworldly and utterly accessible. Bettina is calm, rational, and brave, an admirable ... heroine, and Houts paints the nisse with humor and whimsy. Charming and guileless, this story of adventure and enchantment would work well for a young fairy-tale aficionado or as a classroom readaloud in those restless days just before winter break.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Houts’s descriptions of the glistening weather phenomenon of winterfrost heighten the air of wonder in the story. The mix of fantasy, legend, and holiday tradition makes for a heady, escapist read.
—Publishers Weekly

Written in the folkloric language and style of old tales, young readers will enjoy the tiny lives of the nisse and appreciate the spunk and courage displayed by Bettina as she solves the problem of the troublesome Klaaka.
—Reading Today Online

This magical adventure leads you into a winter-frost world of Danish folklore and family love.
—Discovery Girls

Charming.
—The Buffalo News

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