To the Ice

An epic story set in a polar wilderness that blurs realism and imagination—fully illustrated for newly independent readers.

Ida, Max and Jack go to the creek one winter’s day. They play on an ice floe then find themselves floating away—all the way to the polar ice, with just a box, a branch and some sandwiches.

“You probably don’t think it’s true, and we didn’t either, not even while it was happening...”

They find an old hut, meet penguins, see extraordinary things and, after testing their resources in this dramatic land of ice and snow, come home safe at the end of the day.

“What shall we say about where we’ve been?” asked Max.

“Tell the truth,” I said. “We don’t know.”

To the Ice is a beautifully produced chapter book, perfect for imaginative readers and re-readers, ready to be captivated by a real-life make-believe adventure. The kind of adventure that will stay in a child’s imagination for the rest of their lives.

Thomas Tidholm is a Swedish photographer, poet, playwright and writer. He and Anna-Clara Tidholm have together created a string of awardwinning books for children since the early 1980s.
Anna-Clara Tidholm is one of Sweden's leading children’s book authors and illustrators with a varied and rich bibliography. Her prizes include the Elsa Beskow plaque, German Youth Literature Prize, Astrid Lindgren prize and August prize.

Translated from the Swedish edition by Julia Marshall.

Reviews for To the Ice
"Adventure-seeking readers will delight in this dramatic escapade that's sure to spark imaginative exploration." Booklist, starred review

“an enthralling blend of survivalist realism and fantasy.” Publishers Weekly

“This utter delight of a story is highly recommended!” Readings, Australia

"A good children’s book ignites curiosity in adults. To the Ice left me with research rabbit holes to go down and connections to make. On one level, this is an adventure story along the lines of Where the Wild Things Are." New Zealand Herald