East of the Sun, West of the Moon

I haven't been so engrossed in a book in years. "East," by Edith Pattou, is a retelling of the traditional Norwegian folktale "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" in which a girl is taken by a polar bear who offers -- in exchange -- the health and prosperity of her family. Of course no story is ever this simple. Rose, named after the compass rose found on maps, is the youngest daughter of a farming family. After the farm fails and her sister becomes gravely ill, she is taken by the "ice bear" and finds herself in a beautiful castle with the silent and sorrowful bear. Slowly they come to understand and care for one another, as she senses the humanity in the bear. When he is taken away by the frightening Ice Queen, Rose embarks on a long and dangerous voyage to free the bear from his captor. This is a complicated story that contemplates the meaning of friendship, love and family. This would be a wonderful read-aloud for older children (10 and up). It is innocent and full of adventure and magic.