Le bûcheron et le prince des neiges de Ian Eagleton

Gorgeous illustrations and such a heart warming story.

This book is stunning, both illustration wise and in the story itself. My little ones and even my other half absolutely love it too. The story has a lovely flow about the journey the woodcutter takes, from being alone in the woods to the end which is very much different.

The inclusivity is beautiful and the main theme which to us was overcoming loneliness and adversity, was so well told through words and images. My 2 year old loves the pictures and the fact the main character shares their name ☺️. My 4 year old loved the images too, pointing out the details, but also loved sounding out the words and understanding the story on a deeper level. We had discussions about how the woodcutter managed to keep going even when things seemed hard, impossible even, how finding the resilience to go on can lead to finding something special... Maybe inside yourself. So much love for this book, feel everyone should get it

My 4yo loves Nen & The Lonely Fisherman so I jumped at the chance to read him this. It’s a lovely inclusive story about a lonely woodcutter who meets a feared Snow Prince and battles hard to free him from his ice prison. There was lots to talk about after reading my child this; not judging others, feelings of loneliness, love. My kid loved looking at the pictures too, there was lots to see while listening to the story and he spent time afterwards flicking through the book looking at the pictures which is a sure fire indication that he loved it. This is definitely going to become a favourite in our home.

What a beautiful book, not only visually, but the message conveyed will have children and adults a like, thinking of a time where they have struggled finding their way and feeling accepted.

The story tells of a woodcutter who seems unable to find his place in the world. He overcomes his loneliness by exploring what truly makes him happy. He has to go through some rough and dark places to get there and eventhough it's a tough journey, it is all worth it in the end.

The illustrations are stunning and cleverly depict the journey of the character making it easier for younger readers to follow the mood and emotions of the story. My 8 year old son really engaged with the maps in the book, he commented on how the chataracters were feeling, that when they were happy everything seemed brighter and more positive. It opened up lines of conversation and gave him an opportunity to really explore where and who people can find their happiness with.

The Woodcutter And The Snow Prince is a beautiful story for children of all ages. It provides lots of opportunities to explore our feelings around loneliness, grief and belonging. The story takes place over a full year so there are also chances to explore determination and resilience.
The illustrations are beautiful. My 3 year old really enjoyed exploring the images in their own right. I think this will become a family favourite, not just at Christmas but all year round.