Winterfrost
Written by Michelle Houts
Narrated by Amy McFadden
4/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this audiobook
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.
Michelle Houts
Michelle Houts is the award-winning author of several middle-grade novels, picture books, and biographies for young readers including Winterfrost, which was a 2014 Bank Street Best Book and Junior Library Guild selection, and The Beef Princess of Practical County, which was awarded the 2010 IRA Children’s Book Award. She lives, works, and plays on a farm in western Ohio, where she is restoring a one-room schoolhouse. While in second grade, she begged her parents for a chemistry kit but wasn’t quite sure what to do when she actually got it. Lucy’s Lab allows her to be the scientist she always wanted to be.
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Reviews for Winterfrost
72 ratings9 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book is about a girl named Bettina, her baby sister Pia and the Nisse family. It was Christmas at their house for the first time since Farfar had passed away. Bettina's familiy was away for summer so she stayed at the barn with her baby sister and the secreat Nisses. Nisses are creatures that stay hidden so no one can see them. In the middle of the book Bettina has to go on this adventure to find her sister who has been stolen. At the end of the book Klakke and Ulf return home with Bettina and baby Pia. The Nisse familiy was reunited once again since 12 years. Once in a while Bettina would see Klakke roming around outside helping out with the chores. She would smile.I liked this book because it talks about mysterious creatures in the forest. This book talked about what families do for each other so I really liked that. This book was really talking about what it's like living in harsh conditions and still having what you need. It's not that easy living on a farm, so this book really pulled my attention in. All the words that were in this book I thought where interesting to think about. I have lots of imagination after I had read this book, it felt inspirational to me. This is one book I highly recommened. I think I would have to look for more of this authors books.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5First of all, I love books about winter weather, snowy forests and all that. It's just past Christmas, the holiday is bound up in the story so it joins the group of apt and entertaining wintertide tales. The language is gentle and respectful of all life; it neither tries to negate the Christian Christmas story nor repeats an unimaginative view of Christian belief, rather the holiday is a background of joy and trouble, forgiveness and doing the right thing. The use of a gentler Scandinavian folklore tradition than the thunder gods is a welcome treat, the tiny and gentle nisse live in adorable tiny houses and mostly do good things for the people who live in the big houses. In Winterfrost, can come mischief, but reading this story one is never frightened it will be more than the people, and nisse can manage.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bettina Larsen and her baby sister, Pia, are alone in their home because their parents are away visiting. It is up to Bettina to take care of Pia and maintain the chores in the house and in the barn. It is just after Christmas, the first Christmas without Farfar. Farfar was always talking to Bettina about nisse. Nisse are creatures who help people take care of homes and barns and yards. In all of the hubbub about family at the past Christmas, Bettina had forgotten to leave the oats in the barn for their nisse.Klakke is the nisse in the barn. He was a little upset with Bettina and as Bettina puts Pia outside one morning to take a nap, he takes Pia away.Bettina is devastated, not really knowing what has happened to Pia. She is unaware of the nisse in the barn. Bettina goes on an adventure to find her baby sister and we learn of the nisse traditions and creatures. This was well-written and takes you back to fairy tale stories of youth.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I personally love Christmas time, and I enjoy reading stories that circulate around the holiday season. Winterfrost is a great winter tale with an interesting plot and setting. I plan on sharing it with the little girls I babysit. However, I do agree with another reviewer about jumping through hoops to get the story on my Nook. It's not at all convenient.***I received a free copy of this book, and in exchange, I have provided an honest review.***
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bettina, a twelve-year-old Danish girl, is caught up in the world of the Nisse, tiny magical creatures, when her baby sister disappears. I found this a pleasant wintry read, though not as specifically Christmassy as I expected. I felt that the pacing lagged a bit in places, but the setting was well-described and the characters developed nicely over the course of the book.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Such a sweet story to listen to right before the holidays. My six children were enthralled by the story of Battina and her fantastical adventure with the gentle, generous little people in her nearby woods. We enjoyed the authors use of descriptions as well as the narrators ability to differentiate between characters! Will be a holiday tradition for sure!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Such a great story. We loved every minute of the adventure!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5We listen to this story every Christmas. We love it and highly recommend it
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Winterfrost is a delightful story about believing in something that cannot be seen. When Bettina and Pia’s parents are called away unexpectedly for a family emergency, Bettina forgets one of the oldest family traditions, putting rice pudding out for the barn nisse, which leads to dire consequences. Equipment in the barn becomes displaced, the animals feed becomes spoiled, and worst of all is when baby Pia goes missing. Bettina realizes her mistake against the barn nisse and sets on a search to rescue her baby sister and make things right once again. Perfect story for Christmas or any time of year on what it means to put others first and set aside differences and make amends. Recommend for all ages but specifically for the tween crowd as it is a fairly easy read.