Frostfire follows two foxes, sisters Miriam and Celeste, as they take a walk through the garden looking for a snow dragon. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous, and I loved watching these two sisters explore their world looking for a dragon. This was a cozy read, that I feel like would be a great bedtime story for the littles.

Thanks to NetGalley, Elly MacKay, and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to review this advance copy!

The illustrations perfectly capture the way that light is reflected off of bright white snow during certain times of day. The little sister foxes are beyond adorable set against the beautifully depicted snowy backdrop.

Initially, I didn't love that the older sister was making up stories and facts. I often have to talk to my son about wild tales a classmate tells him, so I was unsure about this snow dragon idea. If I were reading it to my own children, I wouldn't have wanted them to develop a fear of a large mythical beast camouflaging itself as snow. I appreciated that when the older sister said Penguins live at the North Pole that it was quickly corrected by her little sister.

When the littlest fox hears the grumbling sound (again, which is not specified), I loved that she learned and shared with her sister that the snow dragon is gentle and kind and eats pinecones not princesses. There is nothing to fear.

For me, the illustrations were 5 stars but the story itself was probably a 3, since it ended well but wasn't as enticing a story as I had hoped.

I always love books by Elly MacKay! Her style is so beautiful and magical. This one was about two foxes exploring during winter.

Just the sweetest, most charming, cuddliest picture book that you could possibly want to enjoy on a snowy winter's day. Miriam and Celeste and two sisters with a gentle dynamic that everyone who's had a sibling will recognize and appreciate. Even in a short picture book, the writing creates two distinct personalities for the two of them. (Makes me think a lot of the relationship between and personalities of Beezus and Ramona, for anyone who knows the Ramona Quincy books.) Lovely artwork that has a nice paper cut-out style. It gives it a bit of a vintage feeling. Celeste's starry coat is a charming detail. The (very real) snow dragon is just as cute as you hope it would be.

Highly recommended as a picture book that has substance in the story, and an emotional connection between family members. It would be a great addition to any "winter holidays" book collection in particular, if you're the sort of family who brings out the winter and winter holiday books every December.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this eARC for unbiased review. This review will be cross-posted to my social media accounts closer to the book release date.

Pleasant illustrations. Short-and-sweet writing that spoon-feeds the answers. Full of delicate dreams that kindle the warmth in souls. Character interactions inspire cuddles. Ambiguous ending that leaves much to the imagination. Pacing at the beginning and end could be smoothed out to be less abrupt. Serene message. Evokes a peaceful reassurance in fascination. Recommended for those looking for a breath of fresh air. Overall, an average read.

This was a sweet little story about sisters that will charm young readers. The illustrations were beautiful and the messages of bravery and imagination shone through. Overall, it was similar to many other picture books and there wasn’t anything that made it stand out much, but it was sweet.

This beautifully illustrated book is full of magic and wonder. I feel like at first the older sister is making things up as she goes but it turns out that snow dragons ARE real. Absolutely adorable! I wish there was a little more interaction with the snow dragon but it’s still a gorgeous book

Frostfire follows two sisters through a snowy garden as the older sister convinces the younger sister a snow dragon lives there. The illustrations were so beautiful and the story is magical from start to finish!

I highly recommend Frostfire! Perfect for children with magic in their veins.

I received an ARC from Penguin Random House Canada | Tundra Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sisters Celeste and Miriam go on a winter walk though diamondlike drifts of snow, and wonder if they'll see something magical.

Lovely big sister/little sister dialogue and magical drawings with a sense of a wider world beyond them! MacKay's illustration style works so wonderfully and the story had a nice amount of heart. Frostfire was a wintry pleasure to read. I can't wait until it releases, because I think it will be a hit.

Follow Miriam and Celeste on their magical winter adventure in Frostfire. The two sisters journey through the snowy forest looking for signs of the elusive snow dragon. Along their mystical quest through the diamond dust, they spot frostfire and build a snow fort. Miriam teaches Celeste all about snow dragons, where they like to hide, how they travel, and what they like to eat. When Celeste finally comes across a snow dragon, is it truly real or just her imagination? Celeste and Miriam watch as the snow dragon flies away in the clouds and then make their way home through their snow kingdom.

I love the illustrations in the book. They are so beautiful! The story about sister foxes exploring their snowy wonderland is very cute. Big sister is trying to convince little sister that Snow Dragons are real! Will they find one or is big sister teasing? Dragons are always an attention grabber for kids. I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

This book is adorable with amazing illustrations. I loved the story of sisterhood and my child was interested the whole time.

I love this book !

Illustrations of this book are my favs in a long time in child book ! They are so soft and pure, and so cute at a time ! I want to reread this book again, share it with every child I know ! This was pure magic !

This was an adorable little story about two sisters- I’d love to get my hands on it once it’s published as it would be a lovely edition to my classroom bookshelf. The artwork is perfect and really brings you into the story

Celeste and her big sister Miriam are out walking in the snow and the begin talking about snow dragons, dragons who are white, breathe frostfire, and eat princesses. But as Celeste explores a little more, she finds a surprise in the woods, and learns a bit more about the legendary snow dragons.

A dazzling vignette about sisters on a winter hike, MacKay has created a lovely picture book to share with elementary children. The artwork is ethereal and dreamy - a sparkling tribute to imagination and exploring outdoors with a sibling. The fantastical snow dragon will fascinate readers. Everything about this book is delicate and dreamy and it will be a perfect addition to winter storytimes.

What a beautiful picture book! I loved everything about Frostfire. The imagination, the sisterly bond, the imagery, the simplicity of the words. - it was all so lovely. This is a beautiful book.

I am a sucker for beautiful illustrations, and these just drew me in - they are just gorgeous! And the story is a sweet story of two sisters who go looking for a snow dragon and find one camouflaged in a snow bank. This would be a lovely gift-book for a small child or a new grandmother.

This book was so magical! The illustrations give it such a cozy feeling. My daughter really enjoyed looking at all of the pages even the end pages with their pretty designs. The characters are so cute and cuddly and their relationship as siblings is adorable. The older sister who knows everything and the little one with so much imagination and so many questions to ask. Best seller for sure!

6 STARS!!!

Frostfire is a cozy whimsical book that showcases the pure imagination and creativity of a child, something that is often lost in our world of technology. Two sisters, Celeste and Miriam, go for a snowy winter walk and Miriam shares all of her knowledge about snow dragons. This topic alone will have your child buzzing with questions and theories of their own. Celeste is such a positive big sister, never minimizing her little sister’s imagination or doubting her facts of snow dragons. I really enjoyed the sisterly bond throughout this book and the patience of siblings shown.

The illustrations in this book are stunningly beautiful me bring another whimsical element to the story.
From the way the light hits the snow or fades in from the side of the page, to the frost layers on the greenhouse and the silvery snow bushes. Obviously there was a lot of time spent in the illustrations with great attention to detail, which really brings this book to life. I would purchase this book again and again, it would be the perfect Christmas gift for a child.

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Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

A beautiful, whimsical story about siblings and the imagination. MacKay's signature artwork is absolutely stunning and works perfectly in this story. This would make a great read in the winter months, I will definitely be adding this to my elementary school library.

Thank you NetGally for a digital ARC. All opinions are my own.