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The Ice Dragon: From George R. R. Martin, an Epic Adventure All Readers Can Share
George R. R. Martin’s blockbuster fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire, is many things: A marvel of epic world-building, nearly unmatched in contemporary fantasy literature. The inspiration behind smash HBO series and cultural phenomenon Game of Thrones. Maddeningly well-plotted storytelling that will keep you up all night. But, as anyone who has gasped through the Red Wedding or followed Arya Stark on her journey from privileged child to cold-blooded avenger knows, one thing it isn’t is child-friendly.
Until now. With illustrated chapter book The Ice Dragon, Martin has created a children’s story imbued with the same magic and wonder that makes A Song of Ice and Fire indispensable fantasy reading. Here’s why it’s the perfect story to share with your favorite young reader this holiday season.
The heroine. Adara is a strange girl, slow to smile and a breed apart from her industrious, summer-loving family. She was born with winter under her skin, and even delicate ice lizards can crawl on her hands without melting. When she meets an ice dragon, it senses she’s a kindred spirit, and the two form a secret bond. Even the sunniest of children love to read about fictional loners like Adara, whose hard-won independence allows her to lead an adventurous life under the nose of her father.
The dragon. Because Adara is a winter child, she’s made of sterner stuff than most. She was born during the worst freeze anyone can remember and she loves the season because it’s in her blood—and because it brings with it the Ice Dragon. Every child dreams of forging a connection with an animal, and your young reader will love watching the relationship between the girl and her dragon bloom. We think Daenarys Targaryen would approve.
The storytelling. Martin’s books tap into the most basic instinct within a reader’s brain: the burning need to know what happens next. His work is known for its breathtaking twists and the shockingly sudden rise or fall of a character’s fortunes from one page to the next. Some of that sense of danger can be found in The Ice Dragon‘s pages—albeit tempered for a young reader’s needs.
The world. When the Song of Ice and Fire series opens, Westeros is in one of its long and forgiving summer seasons, but, as any good Stark will tell you, winter is coming. In The Ice Dragon, winter is a villain that gets longer every year. Adara’s family members aren’t royals or knights or plotters; they’re farmers trying to build good lives in a world touched by the supernatural as well as by constant warfare. For a Game of Thrones fan reading along with her child, this makes for a refreshing new perspective on Martin’s fantasy universe.
The illustrations. Luis Royo’s delicately shaded drawings depict a frozen world where Adara builds snow castles and rides for miles on the back of her supernatural friend. His dragons are terrifying, densely illustrated marvels, and will let a child’s imagination fly as free as Adara.