Ice Apprentices The Frozen Curse - Jacob North

 

'As Oswin starts his second year at the training grounds for Ice Apprentices, a great Freeze threatens.  He may have driven back the monsters, but more is at stake when Grandmaster Yarrow is attacked and confined to the Icefirmary.

As the temperature drops, and monstrous faces appear in the trees, Oswin and his best friend, Ennastasia, investigate.  But Tundra is running out of time.  If they don't uncover the truth soon, everyone will freeze to death...' 

I read Ice Apprentices in December 2024 (you can read my review here) and then had the pleasure if meeting Jacob last February at the Simon & Schuster brunch and heard more about the inspiration behind the book.  I was hooked so the early arrival of book 2, The Frozen Curse, filled me with joy.  

Jacob is a real underdog: constantly reminded that he is a stray and facing prejudice, he is only too aware that he has to prove himself based on people's misconceptions instead of his actual capabilities (we saw this in book one and it is evident in The Frozen Curse as well).  Thankfully Ennastasia remains a constant friend and the pair are a wonderful duo - it has been delightful to catch-up with them.  Once again, the diversity of the characters is a great to read, with disability, LGBTQIA+ representation as well as Oswin being trans and revealing how he feels about his body as he gets older.  This is all woven wonderfully into the plot in a way that is suitable and accessible to KS2 readers.  

The world building continues to be vivid and immersive and will transport readers instantly to the frozen world. 

Publishing 15th January, The Frozen Curse is a fast-paced and full of twists to keep readers gripped and guessing.  It will make a great read as the January snow falls and the cold creeps in!