Free to Fly

by Karina Iceberg, Steph Littlebird (Illustrator)

Overview

In a treehouse by the sea, a grandfather shares the story of how he kept his dreams alive with thoughts of his future grandchild—who is his most precious dream of all.

Hope takes flight in this tender picture book by author Karina Iceberg (Aleut-Alutiiq), and illustrator Steph Littlebird (Kalapuya/Chinook), who share a story of Native resilience with a conversation between a grandparent and grandchild that soars into a message of love that spans generations—both those past and to come.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063254909
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	06/16/2026
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 11.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Karina Iceberg holds an MFA in writing for children and young adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her debut picture book, A Good Hide, publishes with Heartdrum in January 2026. Her work has appeared in two anthologies: Legendary Frybread Drive-In, edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith, and Onward: Climate Fiction to Inspire Hope, edited by Nora Shalaway Carpenter. Karina is a member of the Aleut (Unangax^) and Alutiiq (Sugpiaq) Nations of Alaska.

Steph Littlebird is an enrolled member of Oregon's Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and earned her BFA in painting and printmaking from the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) in Portland, Oregon. She is the illustrator of My Powerful Hair by Carole Lindstrom and Fierce Aunties! by Laurel Goodluck. Littlebird is known for her vibrant imagery that combines traditional styles of her Indigenous ancestors with contemporary illustration aesthetics. Her work often examines issues related to Native identity, cultural resilience, and responsible land stewardship. She currently lives and works in Las Vegas.