9 Books to Read If You Loved Disney’s Frozen
If you’ve had “Let it Go” stuck in your head since Disney’s Frozen premiered last year, you could probably use a switch in gears. These books embody the spirit of Frozen in one way or the other, but will provide welcome departures from Arendelle and its pesky eternal winter. Because even with the magic of Disney, an eternal winter gets old after 30–40 viewings.
The Snow Queen, by Hans Christian Anderson
If you were tickled that, for the first time, a Disney movie focused on something other than falling in love with a prince-ish person, then you will double love The Snow Queen, the inspiration for Frozen. In a break from Anderson’s usually female-unfriendly style, the story’s focus is on protagonist Gerda, who embarks on an adventure to save her best friend Kai (a boy) from the evil clutches of the Snow Queen. The cast is full of colorful female characters, including the Snow Queen, Kai’s grandmother, a (good) witch, a female crow, a helpful princess, and a gutsy girl with a knife who befriends and helps Gerda when she’s kidnapped by robbers. Two more women help Gerda realize that the power she has been seeking is inside her. This story is so powerful, you might start wondering why Disney didn’t make the movie even more like the original. (That’s an entirely different can of worms, right there.)
Breadcrumbs, by Anne Ursu
This modern take on The Snow Queen is the story of BFFs Hazel and Jack. Jack stops talking to Hazel (typical teenage boy stuff, right?—wrong), then disappears into the forest with an Ice Woman who freezes his heart, and it’s up to Hazel to come search for him. It’s a beautiful coming-of-age-story—the Hazel and Jack that go into the woods change drastically before they come out.
Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine
Ella, like Frozen‘s Anna, is a feisty rebel, afflicted with the gift curse of obedience bestowed on her by a fairy named Lucinda. The story traces her adventure of self-discovery and quest for freedom from the curse. In true fairy tale style, there are ogres, wicked stepsisters, fairy godmothers, elves, and a prince—all with surprising twists on your typical fairy tale tropes. (Don’t worry—Ella is no Cinderella.)
We Are the Goldens, by Dana Reinhardt
If you loved the sweet and powerful bond between Anna and Elsa, you’ll feel a strong pull toward Nell and Layla in We Are the Goldens, a story about a secret held between two sisters that could be devastating if revealed. This modern-day tale strives to explore how one can understand the ugly complexities in the ones they love. And what should be done about them, in the end.
The Art of Frozen, by John Lasseter
If you’ve watched the film a million times (be it by choice, or against your will/driven by the demands of your toddler) and you just want MORE FROZEN!!!!, The Art of Frozen will give you your fix. It offers all the concept art, character studies and sculpts, color scripts, storyboards, and artist interviews you could dream of. You’ll be belting out that snowman song with extra kick of gusto.
Winterling, by Sarah Prineas
You’ll love Winterling because in it, fierce protagonist Fer saves a boy—or what appears to be a boy. In this fantasy/adventure story, a mysterious creature takes her to a magical place, one that she instantly clicks with. In the end, Fer must unharness all of her strength to right a terrible wrong. Her power (you guessed it!) comes from within.
The Kingdom Keepers series, by Ridley Pearson
The Kingdom Keepers series is the perfect combination of fantasy and Disney magic, all twisted into an eerie tale that will make you look at the Happiest Place on Earth in a whole new light. The stories take place in the park, giving a kick of life to your ordinary, run-of-the-mill adventure tales. Holograms, Disney villians, lightning storms, and more mix with park details that will have Disney nerds frothing at the mouth.
Pippi Longstocking, by Astrid Lindgren
According to legend, Pippi Longstocking (originally Pippi Långstrump) sprouted from the imagination of Astrid Lindgren when, in 1945 Sweden, she was telling her sick daughter bedtime stories. Pippi’s absurdist adventures began in an oral tradition, and developed into books when Astrid submitted the stories to paper, won first prize in a writing competition, and snatched up a deal with Swedish publishing company Rabén & Sjörgen. Like many of the girls in these books, Pippi is spunky and bright, living in a big kooky house without grownups alongside her animal sidekicks (a horse and a monkey). But the fact that she was born in the tradition of oral storytelling makes this book especially magical.
The Sea King’s Daughter, by Aaron Shepard
If you’re into tales from foreign lands, The Sea King’s Daughter, one of the most popular Russian legends, will satisfy your adventurous tastebuds. In the ancient city of Novgorod, poor musician Sadko must play at the Sea King’s palace, where he meets the Sea King’s beautiful daughter, who the Sea King decides Sadko should marry. Russia is famous for producing some of the greatest, most fantastical stories in literature, and here you can see where it all began.
Do you enjoy reading fairy tales?