Genre: Folklore, Legends
THis story is about the legend of the King of Norway and the ski race that is held each year in remembrance of his reign. The legend is important because of the great sacrifice and risk a group of men and omen took to save the king from the Bagelers when he was just a baby. It is set in the year of 1206 and the vocabulary is fairly difficult for young readers. It teaches a few Norwegian words, but it also uses English words that students would need to look up or look for contextual clues to figure out. The media is wood carving with acrylic painting over it. ( )

I loved this book and think it is an important read for both children and adults due to its tale of self-sacrifice for the greater good. In this story, many brave and noble warriors risk their lives and the lives of their immediate and future families to save the one life that had the potential to rescue all lives. Lunge-Larsen’s retelling of this honorable historic event reopened my eyes to the possibilities of mankind once our objectives and minds become one. I absolutely adore how this book could expose children to what it means to act as one unit and to become a part of a family other than their immediate families. I also love how the author places nobility, humility, love, and service over wealth and greed, which is evident when Lunge-Larsen explains how the king’s loyal men (the birkebeiners) “despised the Baglers, those rich nobles and false bishops who wanted to line their pockets with the peasants’ money.” Wait, it gets even better. The illustrations are child-friendly; yet portray elements of reality such as snowstorms, the ambiance of the situation, and even the temperature of a cozy barn. ( )

Since the death of their king, Baglers, men who wanted wealth through greed, were on the lookout for the former king’s son. Now, the men who were loyal to the king, birkebeiners, needed to protect their prince and keep him safe. They must fight the fierce winter snowstorm and save the baby prince. However, even after the storm ended, Baglers spread rumors about the prince was not real. The prince’s mother, Igna goes through religious trial to prove that he is the rightful king.

The story teaches the readers about birkebeiners and their heroic actions as well as what a mother can go through to save her son. It uses relatively simple vocabulary, mixed with some Norwegian words. Some of these words have pronunciations written next to them and it will be easy for readers to sound out these words.

The unique illustrations are done with woodcuts and watercolors. The illustrator uses different symbols and knots for borders that reflect the Norwegian culture. The illustrations follow the flow of the story and through it, the readers will know of the difficult journey through the snowstorm. Also, the illustrations portray what Norway would have looked like when Prince Hakon was alive.

This is a great book for young and old readers to learn about the history of Prince Hakon and the tales of his escape. ( )