The Snow Girl by Sophie Anderson

“She wasn’t exactly sure where to go from here, but she now knew that, to move forward – to refill her life with friendship and adventure and joy – she needed to figure out how to face her fears and step out into the world once more.”

Sophie Anderson is known for her powerful reimaginings of Russian folklore. In The Snow Girl, she brings the traditional tale of The Snow Maiden to life through the most gorgeous story of the magic of snow, friendship and overcoming our fears.

Tasha and her parents have gone to live on her grandpa’s farm. He’s getting older and his health is failing. He just can’t manage it on his own any longer. Tasha loves the quiet of the woods. Isolation is just what she needs (and wants) after the trauma of an accident in the sea the year before left her frightened of the world. Tasha knows she should spend time with other children and force herself to venture away from the farm but she just can’t bring herself to do it.

When the first snow falls, Tasha and her grandpa build the most beautiful snow girl. This is the kind of friend Tasha wishes she could have. Much to her amazement, she discovers that wishes on snow really do come true. Each night, the Snow Girl comes to life as a beautiful girl, Alyana, with a friendly fox to accompany her. The three of them have many adventures through the woods. As time passes, it seems winter will never end. Is there more to the magic of the Snow Girl than it first appeared? Is she causing the endless winter and nature to fall out of balance? Can Tasha find the strength to step out of this season and face life again or will she become a part of winter forever?

Sophie Anderson has an incredible talent for describing the beauty and magic of the natural world. In this story, the snow is like the sea that nearly pulled Tasha under: beautiful yet dangerous, magical and powerful, at times serene, yet with the potential to storm and rage, destroying everything in its path. Soft, silent, clean, the cold crisp magic of snow takes your breath away.

Tasha’s relationship with her grandpa is so important. She has many memories of him as a younger man, able to look after the farm and face anything. Now, she can see the same loving man is still there inside and she’s saddened that he can’t do the things he once could. He understands Tasha and her connection to nature. He recognises the challenges she’s battling and with gentle encouragement, pushes her towards healing.

As Tasha spends time with the Snow Girl and learns more about the traditional stories of snow spirits, she realises she has powers of her own. She has a choice – to give in to the anxiety that overcomes her and stay in the shadows of winter or push through the cold to find her strength and step out into a new season of courage and hope.

Pubishing in October 2023, The Snow Girl will be the perfect story for the upcoming Christmas season. Fans of Frozen who have grown up a little bit will love this new (yet old) approach to the magic of snow and the powerful women who find strength in it – discovering who they truly are and what they are capable of. Much like Sophie Anderson’s previous stories, The Snow Girl is destined to become an international classic. The power of the story, the mystery of the Snow Girl and Tasha’s personal journey will completely captivate readers.

Thank you to Usborne & Fritha Lindqvist for an early read of this gorgeous book!

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