The Den of Forever Frost

Starred review from August 15, 2018
In a race against time, young polar bear cubs travel the icy north searching for a way to rescue their land from an evil cult and save the world from a cataclysm. Following the events of Quest of the Cubs (2017), young Jytte, Stellan, and Third travel the dangerous wild with only ancient stories and an outdated map as a guide. Chased by Roguer bears collecting cubs to sacrifice to the great Ice Clock, they attempt to find their estranged father and beg his help. Aided by wood frogs, frost spiders, and a mysterious spirit bear, the three cubs face predators, natural disasters, and their own waning beliefs. Meanwhile, their mother, Svenna, enslaved by the Mystress of the Chimes, attempts to work from within to bring down the doomsday cult and find her missing cubs. Violence is minimal, but child abuse, child sacrifice, religious cleansing, and torture are all real threats in the northern kingdom. Calm and calculating Jytte, emotional and passionate Stellan, and deep and mystical Third are all complicated heroes. Pride, depression, and guilt prove to be as difficult to defeat as the cult, but the three cubs bring humility, hope, and forgiveness as they travel. Nonstop action, overwhelming odds, and a truly evil adversary will make readers clamor for the next installment. Occasional double-page-spread art (not seen) acts as a transitional device.Proof that a sequel can shine just as brightly. (map) (Fantasy. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 15, 2018
Grades 3-6 Bear cub siblings Jytte and Stellan, and their friend Third, continue their perilous journey to find their father and the Den of Forever Frost. Aided by unlikely animals and insects, they traverse harsh terrain, slide through ice tunnels, and evade menacing, venomous critters. A surprise encounter with Froya, Third's sister, causes him to question her trustworthiness. Meanwhile, their mother, Svenna, longs for her cubs as she slaves for the Mystress of the Chimes, though she's found a mission in helping the gillygaskins (ghost cubs mutilated by the Ice Clock). When her cubs finally come face-to-face with their father, Svern, they are distraught. How can this old, defeated bear help them maneuver the Den of Forever Frost and find the key to the Ice Clock? In this second of the Bears of the Ice series, Lasky's brilliant imagery of the fantasy ice world and her believably strong, determined bears won't disappoint readers. The final paragraph brings sighs and silence as the bears contemplate the completion of their quest in the series' next book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)