Voyage of the Frostheart by Jamie Littler (review)

In an isolated stronghold on a vast, snowy wasteland, an orphaned boy named Ash knows he has the power to communicate through song with the Leviathans, bloodthirsty monsters that live under the snow. Unfortunately, the villagers are afraid of Ash's magic singing, and Ash's guardian, a yeti warrior named Tobu, merely drills him in survival skills and meditation instead of letting him practice song weaving. Frustrated with the village and his guardian, Ash begs passage on the sled called the Frostheart, where he meets a mysterious man named Shaard who claims to have known Ash's parents and encourages Ash to use his power—but something about Shaard makes Ash wary. Delightfully odd creatures pepper this arctic fantasy world, such as a walrus-like sled captain, a stronghold of mechanical-object-obsessed fox-like critters, and of course, the six-eyed, slobbering, giant reptilian Leviathans. Although Ash's quest to understand his origins lags at times, more is sure to be revealed in future installments of this promised trilogy. Ash's quest to accept himself is relatable, the journey across this freshly envisioned world is intriguing, and the fluid monochromatic illustrations animate the story with quirky hairdos but still leave plenty of room for readers' imaginations.