The Ice Palace

This short children's book was recommended to me by one of my children. She thought that I’d like it and she was spot on. Despite being aimed at younger readers it never feels childish or ‘beneath’ an adult's reading ability. It's a very well written tale of brotherly love and doing whatever you have to do to rescue a loved one. It’s fantasy and has a few darker moments that very young readers might not like but generally this is a great read for kids and adults alike. I noticed that it was first published in 1977 and it has a feel of that time, an older world charm maybe, but that doesn’t mean it is dated and it certainly doesn’t detract from the folk tale story. I really enjoyed it and think it a good quick choice for reading with children.

I've taught this book to lower KS2 children and they loved it. Really figurative language and the story itself is brilliant. The twist at the end is genius. Whatever you do, don't read the last page, or you'll spoil it for yourself!

This book is very captivating. Could not stop reading, once started!