Children of the Northlights by Ingri d'Aulaire
From the beloved authors of DAulaires Book of Norse Myths and other classics comes a new edition of one of Ingri and Edgar Parin dAulairess most beguiling childrens books. Long out of print, Children of the Northlights introduces readers young and old to siblings Lise and Lasse and to the captivating Sami people and culture of northern Scandinavia. At times mischievous and at others quite courageous, Lisa and Lasse, and their Sami culture, are brought brilliantly to life in the dAulaires illustrations.
This remarkable sister and brother live at the very top of Norwayto Lise and Lasse, seemingly at the very top of the world. All bundled up against the polar winter in their coats of fur and furry shoes, they look at times like two little bears rolling in the snow. Beneath the bright dancing of the northern lights, we follow Lise and Lasse as they enjoy the long winter days and polar nights: playing pranks on their family, chasing and playing with their reindeer Silverside and Snowwhitedeer, skiing, taking hot saunas to stay clean, and staying warm while snowstorms rage across the land. Lise and Lasse hunker down in their warm tent and wait for the sun to return, which, of course, it always does. When the sun comes back in spring, its time to go to school in the village (which Lise and Lasse happily do only after instructing their dogs to take very good care of Silverside and Snowwhitedeer while theyre away).
Inspired directly by a remarkable journey the dAulaires took to northern Europe and their time spent among the Sami, Children of the Northlights is a brightly illustrated portrait and celebration of the Sami people, culture, and snow-covered landscapes of the frozen north, from two of the twentieth centurys greatest storytellers.