Frostfire - by Elly MacKay (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Follow dragon-expert Miriam and curious Celeste on a magical winter's day walk through their garden, where a snow dragon just might be hiding. Elly MacKay's ... artwork and sweet sibling story will cast a spell over readers of all ages in this playfully imaginative picture book"--

Book Synopsis

Follow dragon-expert Miriam and curious Celeste on a magical winter's day walk through their garden, where a snow dragon just might be hiding! Elly MacKay's luminous artwork and sweet sibling story will cast a spell over readers of all ages in this playfully imaginative picture book that's perfect for fans of Frozen.

On a walk through a snow-covered garden, big sister Miriam claims to hear the sound of a snow dragon. Little sister Celeste has lots of questions: snow dragons are real? Where do they hide? What do they eat? And is that frost on the greenhouse windows or is it . . . frostfire?

Miriam seems to have an answer for everything about snow dragons. But when Celeste wanders off, she has a magical encounter that changes everything she thought she knew.

Told through gently playful dialogue and brought to life with spectacular works of paper diorama art, Elly Mackay's newest picture book is an enchanting wintertime adventure destined to become a classic seasonal fairy tale that readers will enjoy for years to come.

Review Quotes

A 2026 Saskatchewan Young Readers Choice Shining Willow Award Nominee
A Starred Selection of the Canadian Children's Book Centre's Best Books for Kids and Teens, Spring 2025
A 2024 Kids' Indie Next Pick

PRAISE FOR Frostfire

"As contemplative and lovely as a walk in the snow." --STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews

"This gem of a story is an ideal cold-weather companion, offering wintry wonders and a humorous twist that sweetly shifts the dynamic between the sisters. The gently suspenseful story is satisfying on its own, but the exquisite paper scenes are a wonder as well. . . . An enchanting outing that will have readers longing to wander a winter wonderland." --STARRED REVIEW, Booklist

"Elly MacKay's radiant, fantastical Frostfire showcases the bond between two sisters who take pleasure in letting their imaginations take the lead." --Shelf Awareness

"Spray paint, watercolor, glitter, fabric, and digital techniques contribute to the soft glow present in MacKay's sparkling photographs of mixed-media paper scenes. Clad in stylish coats, delicate red foxes easily become the focal point of each enchanted spread in this imagination-fueled winter tale." --Publishers Weekly

"Frostfire is a winter-tastic picture book for young readers! The illustrations are beautifully done, detailed yet allows readers to get lost in the whimsical winter following sisters in a snowy kingdom. A book for imagination lovers." --American Booksellers Association

"Frostfire is a beautifully illustrated book about exploring and imagination and an ideal book to read in the fall and winter." --Metroland Media

"Overall, this book is charming, and perfect for the coming (hopefully) cold months." --Young Adulting

About the Author

ELLY MACKAY is an acclaimed paper artist and award-winning children's book maker. She is the author and illustrator of a number of picture books, including In the Clouds and Red Sky at Night, and has illustrated, among others, The Enchanted Symphony by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton and I Am a Meadow Mermaid and The Secret Fawn by Kallie George. Before pursuing a career in picture books, she taught in schools and was an educator in galleries. Elly lives in the winter kingdom of Owen Sound, Ontario, where she and her family often search for snow dragons in the gardens and fields nearby.