What We're Reading: Brenda

Immi's Gift by Karin Littlewood and Snow Dog's Journey by Loretta Krupinski

In Immi's Gift a young Inuit girl is ice fishing in a frozen white world when she catches a very colorful wooden bird on her line. It is the most beautiful thing she has ever seen and "she tied it to her necklace next to a small white bear." Over the next few days she catches even more brightly colored objects and hangs them all over her igloo until it is the most colorful thing around. The igloo attracts animals from all over the arctic and they keep her company through the lonely dark nights. When the ice begins to melt Immi prepares to leave but before she does she drops the bear from her necklace into the water. Far, far away a little boy stands on a tropical beach and wonders what happens to the colorful things he tosses into the waves. He spots a small white bear lying in the sand and "hangs it around his neck where once he wore a little wooden bird." This is a beautiful story with gorgeous illustrations that emphasizes how people around the world can connect even when they are far away from each other.

Snow Dog's Journey tells the story of siblings Olen and Anna who build a Snow Dog on a winter's day. Every morning they go outside to play with their Snow Dog and they love him as if he is real. One night the Frost King is flying overhead and spots Snow Dog. He flies down and asks Snow Dog if he would like to come and live with him in his Ice Palace. Snow Dog says yes but as they are flying away he wonders what the children will think. Of course they are very upset, especially Anna, and her brother tries to comfort her but she insists Snow Dog is real saying "If you believe in something, then it's real." In time Snow Dog decides that although he'll miss the Snow King he belongs with the children who loved him and treated him as if he was a real dog. After days of searching he finally finds their cottage and lies down to wait for them. In the morning the children find Snow Dog and bring him inside where a magical transformation takes place demonstrating the power of love and the importance of home. Beautiful folk inspired illustrations add to this sweet, heartwarming story.