Welcome to the Ice House

I have read the other reviews and understand why others have problems with the text. The pictures alone are WONDERFUL - so realistic and makes you feel you are right there with her use of color. I HAVE heard of all the animals she mentions as I teach kindergarten. These are very familiar animals used in other Arctic books I have read to my kids. I will be truthful in that the text doesn't lend itself to be asked "TO READ AGAIN AND AGAIN!" If you want the book for the pictures, you will be pleased. The book's entirity I would leave for first grade through fourth who could study the use of her wordings in the story. I rated the book higher because it is a very good book if used with the right age of children.

A very quick read, granted, but the illustrations are beautiful. This is the kind of book youngsters will want to look at again and again. I haven't compared it to Yolen's other books, so maybe I would give it less, but for now it deserves a 4.