The Ice Children

De: M. G. Leonard

Narrado por: Helen Keeley, Izabella Dziewanska, Josh Zaré, Pete Gold, Carlyss Peer, Luke Harper, M. G. Leonard, Charlie Piper, George Neilly, Kaiah Coombes, Luke Howitt, Annabella Panayiotou, Shekhina Crellin, Laura Doddington, Richard Reed

The Week Junior Book Awards: Children’s Audiobook of the Year – Highly Commended.

At the stroke of midnight on the dawn of December, five-year-old Finn Albedo is found frozen in the city park on a pedestal of ice. The doctor says his heart is beating, but no one can wake him.

Finn’s big sister, Bianca, suspects the beautiful sparkling book Finn got from the library has something to do with it all but the mysterious book has vanished and no one will listen.

As more children are frozen, Bianca realises she’s running out of time.

Is there a connection between the peculiar stranger wearing a top hat and the disappearing books?

The search for truth hurls Bianca into a fantastical winter wonderland where all is not as it seems…

Can Bianca remember her mission and find a way to save her brother and the other Ice Children before all their hearts are lost forever?

A future classic with a powerful message at its core.

Now available in Dolby Atmos on Audible.

©2022 M. G. Leonard (P)2022 Audible, Ltd

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Responding to children’s worries about global warming, and alluding to classics from The Snow Queen to The Selfish Giant, it’s good, freezing fun." (Amanda Craig, The New Statesman)

"Revelling in the pleasures of snow and ice, and passionate about creatures associated with winter, this teaches us that love, nature and stories are powerful – and not to burn fossil fuels." (Nicolette Jones, The Sunday Times)

"Led by Helen Keeley’s honeyed tones and skilfully voiced by a large cast (including MG Leonard), The Ice Children boasts ingenious stereophonic effects and has a whirlingly imaginative storyline full of wonder and hope as well as warning." (Christina Hardyment, The Times Audiobook of the Week)

So true…

I know a lot of people think the ending is nonsense, but it’s actually pretty accurate. Climate change is EXTREMELY important, and we really need to step up and do something about it.

Better than most originals

There were a ton of plot holes, but it was nice and wintery and it was better than most audible originals (although that’s not a very high bar).

Good story for everyone

Although this story is obviously aimed at a young audience, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. The message contained in it is important for everyone.

The ice children

It was the best book ever and I stay up all night lising to it.

i want to be an ice children too it was nice

there's nothing i didn't like it was cool get the joke stop me i got more

no for my kids!

It was well executed, but the overwheliming climate change speak was over the top pushy. Maybe on 2nd thought that made it better? The agenda was easy to identify. I'm an outdoors person so I am all in favor of being kind to our little ble ball. I am not in favor of making my entertainment or kid's entertainment a Kool-Aid fest. This could have been a great story if they hadn't brought in the climate change baseball bat to hit the listeners over the head.

factual meets fiction

In this wondrous children's story, 11 year old Bianca must race against time to find a solution. As of course adults do, they won't believe her about her investigation. The review section is a perfect example of how adults don't want to believe a truth which scares them. Climate change is real, ignoring it only makes it worse for future generations. We'll be dead, so of course we don't have to worry about climate change unless you live in a place where it gets above 110 f in summer and never gets colder than 40 f in winter. This story may be fueled by fiction, but there are facts to it. It's not a scare tactic, it's happening. It's something our great, great, great grandchildren will be forced to reckon with.

My heart is frozen 💓

Absolutely loved the book and the name of the book is perfect Love the orchestra.

How important all seasons

This was a book of winter joy and full of wisdom and wonderful winter memories. Full of things we forget about as adults

Great story ruined by author's politics

I was thoroughly enjoying this story until the last few chapters. I was initially mildly disappointed that this wonderful story was turning into a climate change platform, but the last two chapters was literally nothing but spewing climate change political views. Why ruin what was a well told story just to tout political views?

If the author had left off at a soft sell of climate change concerns, I would have given this at least 4 stars. Only the stellar performance saved it from being a 1 or 2 star review.

Bottom line: Stories are supposed to entertain, not preach. And if you want to Aesopize a story (which is perfectly acceptable) make it subtle, not like a club over the head. I certainly won't be listening to any other stories from this author.