Review by Elita Menezes
Penguin Random House, 2024
44 pages, Hardcover, $24.99 CAD, 9780735266988
Fiction, Fantasy
“Dragons also breathe fire. See those windows?” Miriam pointed to the greenhouse. “The snow dragon must have been here, breathing fire!”
“I think that’s just frost,” said Celeste.
“No,” said Miriam. “It’s frostfire.”
Set in the softest parts of childhood memory, Frostfire weaves visual wonder into a story about exploration and curiosity. With a new take on old mythology, the book captures a journey between two sisters and dusts well-established themes with glittering snow.
The book centers Celeste and Miriam as they navigate a winter day after hearing the sound of a snow dragon. The art-style is the most captivating element of this book, the perfect compliment to the marvel of the story. It imbues the winter with warmth, capturing landscapes of soft shapes bathed in light that peeks over the hills and dances in the frosty mist. The backgrounds are slightly blurred and full of snowy texture, making each scene feel magical and hazy like a dream or memory.
The main characters are drawn sharper against a floaty background, dressed in clothes that highlight each of their personalities — Celeste as a whimsical, starry fox, and Miriam as someone slightly older than her. There seems to be no apparent significance to the characters being foxes, but their bright fur and colourful outfits stand out just enough from the background while also blending in with the warm tones of the world they inhabit. As Miriam tells Celeste about the snow dragon, their personalities shine through even more.
The story takes a concept that is very well established — a tale about dragons — and breathes new life into it. The design and story of the dragon is well-thought out and very whimsical, a reimagining of winter and of a common mythical creature. It’s evident there was care put into implementing the dragon into this world and thus making the world more imaginative — the concept of “frostfire” was delightful to hear about, turning something mundane into something magical.
Celeste discovers a snow dragon and finds out things that Miriam was wrong about. These concepts, that seeking out experiences is what will lead to the truth and that people who seem to know a lot can be wrong, add nuance to the story and its educational nature. It would have been interesting to explore the effects of Celeste having the wrong information upon meeting the dragon, but having her stay open-minded and unafraid shows her character’s gentle inquisitiveness. The book mixes in education casually by incorporating real-life knowledge and definitions into the imaginative tale. Terms like “camouflage” and “migrate” are weaved into Miriam’s explanation, allowing young readers to learn these words through the tale.
Ultimately, the story fosters a desire for knowledge, a curiosity toward the unknown and a desire to question preconceptions. Overall, Frostfire is an imaginative story in every aspect of its creation — from the nostalgic illustrations to the exploration-centered narrative, the book is a journey into the magic that can be found in the world around us.
Elita Menezes is a student in the Faculty of Arts UBC and an editor at The Ubyssey. She plans to major in English literature and loves experiencing stories in any way she can. Some of her favourite pastimes include laughing at bad movies with her friends and (thinking about) writing.
YOUNG ADULTING 