SNOW

Two girls work together to find answers and save a snow-covered kingdom.

For years, the Princess has been endlessly digging Snow—which continually falls in a scientifically modified, self-replenishing form. She’s desperate to restore her kingdom of Mistmir to the way it was, but ever since she wished for “perfect” snow, the wintry precipitation has been unrelenting, and everyone has fled except her father, the King. One day, the Princess’ shoveling reveals her flutterbye toy, which was made by the Strangers who created the Snow, and she’s excited to show the King this sign of hope. But before she can do so, she meets a girl, 12-year-old Indian American Ela, who has stumbled into Mistmir from our world. Ela is shocked to recognize the Princess from “the Book,” Snow Princess, that her mother used to read to her. Realizing that the surprise visitor is the key to fixing the kingdom, the Princess invites Ela to her castle. Ela follows her, hoping to uncover the truth behind the Book and the oddly vivid, memorylike images in her head, and they form an unexpected friendship. This story combines science and magic to create an engaging and moving setting with charming, detailed worldbuilding that’s tinged with eeriness and sadness. While the start is slow, the storyline eventually picks up, revealing family secrets, schemes, and drama. Trehan weaves in themes of loneliness, belonging, forgiveness, and power. In the brown-skinned, dark-eyed Princess’ kingdom, Hindi is known as their Naming Language.

Poignantly beautiful.