Ice Apprentices

January 1, 2025

Gr 3-7-In a world where seeds come from metal and trees are grown from splinters, amidst ice, monsters, and an Endless Expanse, Ice Apprentices are trained to use magic. They learn to sustain their community called Tundra, a haven within a frozen world where no one can survive beyond this enclave. Oswin, 13, is amazed that he, a stray and a drain on the slim resources reserved for legitimate inhabitants, is invited to study at Corridor. He has never been told about the types of magic, the possibilities of this world, or the evil his surname represents. North has put students in a stunning and unforgiving world that is vastly different than Hogwarts but uses recognizable tropes. Oswin is a clueless but relentless questioner who will stop at nothing to gain the truth. Because he doesn't understand the politics of her station, he befriends Ennastasia, an entitled girl who is both privileged and burdened by her family's position. Their pursuit of explanations for strange occurrences reveals more mysteries as Ennastasia and Oswin attempt to save themselves and their classmates. VERDICT This first book in a new series is distinct and enjoyable for its worldbuilding, and is for fans of magic academy tales and mystery.-Janet S. Thompson

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January 15, 2025
In the icy land of Tundra, an outcast with a mysterious past enrolls at a school for ice apprentices, where he seeks the truth about his family, fights to prove his worth, and confronts the monstrous dangers threatening the school. Day after day, white transgender boy Oswin Fields toils away, planting splinters (which grow into logs) and harvesting logs for his harsh and humorless adoptive mother, Lullia. But that's all a stray like him deserves, or so he's always been told. Strays are treated as worthless burdens on the true Tundrans, who struggle for survival in their frigid homeland. Oswin expected to spend his whole life working in the fields until the grandmaster of Corridor, a school that teaches Tundrans skills of survival and magic, requests his attendance. Although Oswin is thrilled to join the ice apprentices and reunite with his adoptive brother, the stakes are high--the other students don't like him, his adoptive family has a dubious legacy, he must pass his exams or be expelled, and monsters from beyond the Tundra are attacking the school. Fantastical mystery, suspenseful intrigue, and looming danger abound in this debut. Oswin, who's an endearingly quirky and insatiably inquisitive protagonist, has a health condition resembling asthma and is cued as neurodivergent. The characters in the world around Oswin reflect diversity in skin tones, gender identity, and disability. A cliffhanger ending sets up an enticing hook for future installments. An immersive and page-turning adventure. (map)(Fantasy. 8-12)

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February 1, 2025
Grades 4-7 In a world of unforgiving ice and cold, Tundra is the only place of stability in a struggling universe. Oswin Fields--a stray from the outside--has been summoned into this community for an apprenticeship at Corridor, the renowned academy of magic. Just as he begins to make inroads among the school's pupils and lessons, magical monsters begin attacking, taking a toll on the student population. Who's behind this upheaval, and will the young magicians be able to overcome these additional challenges to their survival? This first book of a new trilogy by debut author North has all the makings of a popular academic fantasy, combining mystery, monsters, and magic threaded with machinations. The frenemies relationship between Oswin and Ennastasia injects an interesting dynamic to the unfolding events, as they and the other students emerge as a force to be reckoned with. Additionally, the fast-paced writing gives an inventive nod to Norse influences, which adds depth. A tale of survival that will have middle-grade readers on the edge of their seats awaiting the next installment.

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