One Frozen Lake — Deborah Jo Larson

Seven hours pass. Not one fish. Has anyone seen a fish?

On the surface, it might seem like ice fishing, with its hours in a tiny shack awaiting an elusive crappie or pike, would not be a great match for kids. However, as scores of grandparents and parents know, this unique northern pastime holds special magic for a child.

One Frozen Lake tells the story of a grandfather and grandchild on several ice-fishing adventures. ramshackle ice towns sprout up. Ice shack neighbors share piping-hot cocoa and humorous stories. Eye-catching lures and jigs dance at the end of the fishing line. And mysterious, silvery ice tunnels connect the community above with the one below.

Will they ever catch a fish? Perhaps that's beside the point.

Deborah Jo Larson's engaging narrative, a celebration of her childhood spent on frozen lakes, comes alive with appealing scenes expertly crafted by award-winning children's book artists Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher, who create shimmering worlds above and below the ice. One Frozen Lake tells of a tradition being passed from one generation to the next, a tradition that encourages spending unhurried time together sharing winter's gifts -- and creating precious memories that last long after the ice melts.