Arctic Adventure: A Tundra Tale
by Jyoti Rajan Gopal; illus. by Alexandra Cook
Preschool, Primary    Feiwel    40 pp.
1/26    9781250385444    $19.99

Parallel narratives tell the story of two mothers and their offspring exploring and enjoying a winter day in the Arctic, when the sun doesn’t break the horizon. Vivid text and dreamy art focus on Mama Fox and Little Fox: “Little Fox peeks out from her den. Biting cold nips her nose.” A second wordless narrative follows a human mother and child who are scouting the same territory as the foxes and taking photographs. Layered and textured mixed-media illustrations in a cornucopia of blues, purples, and greens give the snow and ice nuance and vibrancy without cluttering the spreads. The duos encounter reindeer, a polar bear (the text notes that sometimes the foxes follow the hunter to pick up leftovers), a narwhal, and other tundra fauna. While Little Fox and the human child are playing, a storm develops (“The wind picks up, whistling. Snow billows and swirls”) and they get lost, taking comfort in each other until their mothers find them again. After snuggles and an explosion of the northern lights, true night falls, and it’s time for bed. Several pages of back matter, including photos, give more information about life on the tundra. The whole is a blend of soothing and informative, a book that will work for bedtime as much as it will for sparking curiosity and further learning.

From the January/February 2026 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.