Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Jack Frost (The Guardians of Childhood) by William Joyce / Book Review



Published by: Atheneum
Released on: October 27th, 2015 - TODAY
Ages: 4-8
5 Stars - I LOVED IT
Purchase from: Simon & Schuster | Amazon | B&N
Source: Purchased 

Before Jack Frost was Jack Frost, he was Nightlight, the most trusted and valiant companion of Mim, the Man in the Moon. But when Pitch destroys Mim’s world, he nearly destroys Nightlight too, sending him plunging to Earth where, like Peter Pan, he is destined to remain forever a boy, frozen in time. And while Nightlight has fun sailing icy winds and surfing clouds, he is also lonely without his friend Mim. To keep the cold in his heart from taking over, he spreads it to the landscapes around him and earns a new name: Jack Overland Frost.

But a true friend always comes through, and on one particularly bleak night, Mim shines down and shows Jack a group of children in great peril. Through helping them, Jack finds the warmth he’s been yearning for, and realizes bringing joy to others can melt his own chill. It is this realization—that there will always be children who need moments of bravery, who need rosy cheeks, who need to build snowmen, and who are then eager for a spring day—that makes Jack realize why he is a forever boy, and worthy of becoming a Guardian of Childhood.

William Joyce has once again captured the wonder of childhood with Jack Frost's story. Told in the same fashion, and given the same visually stunning, old-fashioned illustrations, the story of Jack Frost is as mesmerizing as the first two books in The Guardians of Childhood series, The Man In The Moon, and The Sandman. The long awaited arrival of this book's release lives up to all that I had hoped it would be and more.

I've long been a fan of William Joyce's The Guardian's of Childhood series. These books are some of our all time favorite children's picture books. Not only are the illustrations visually stunning, the stories themselves are captivating for readers of all ages. The stories are about guardians who's job is to keep safe the merriment of childhood. Protecting their hopes, their dreams, and their hearts. These valiant Guardians offer hope, and courage, as they keep children safe from darkness of Pitch. 

Jack Frost's story is one I've always been fascinated with. Learning about Jack Frost's origins, and his history with the Man In The Moon is something I absolutely loved reading about. Jack Frost's story is one of courage, and valor. I have always admired his character, but do so even more, now that I know more about him. The story about Jack Frost is about who Jack was before he became Jack Frost, how he became Jack Frost, and what he does now, as a Guardian of Childhood. I imagine that if you already didn't love Jack Frost, you will after you read his story. 

This book is one of my all time favorite children's books. Jack Frost is definitely my favorite out of the Guardians of Childhood series. That is saying a lot, considering I loved the previous two books in the series. If you have not yet done so, I highly recommend picking up the series. If you've already read the first two books in the series, than I definitely recommend picking up Jack Frost's book. 

To William Joyce, thank you for brining Jack Frost's story to life! 

*This book was purchased, read, and reviewed all within the same day. I adore this book!

Check out some of the artwork featured in Jack Frost. 


Image from William Joyce's website

*Click on image to enlarge it. 

I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~ Anna Quindlen

Good children's literature appeals not only to
the child in the adult, but to the adult in the child.
~ Anonymous ~