I rather enjoyed this book, despite it's rather slow and sedate pace. I felt that it took quite a while to get started, however, it made sense as we were experiencing Rory's amazement at flying for the first time (in a world where no one really travels by air any more) and experiencing the arctic and the wonders that come with it. So it was like we were absorbing these experiences along with her.

The story itself was a bit of a slow burn, but still incredibly enjoyable. The authors writing style has a lot to do with making this a successful read. I've read slow books before and often dont enjoy them, as they are often dull. This book was full of life and amazement, wonder and awe.

There's a little mystery in the story, as Rory and the local people try and discover what has been poisoning the reindeer. they are sure it's the Greenlight company who are meant to be extracting minerals from the glacier and rocks in an eco friendly way, but the locals suspect that things aren't all they seem, and that perhaps their methods aren't quite as 'green' as their name suggests.

I loved the little arctic fox, Kaiku, who is one of the local boys sort-of pet fox. She's a great little character in herself. An animal sidekick always makes a book better,

My only real issue with this story was the ending. As i was reading, i knew i was nearing the end, but it felt like there was too much of the story to still be told. And although it was kind of wrapped up, I felt like the author had been given a deadline and just rushed the ending, perhaps not giving it as much attention as it deserved. Given that the rest of the book was rather relaxed and slow and told carefully, the ending being so sudden was very unexpected, and didn't fit in with the pacing of the book at all. *mild spoilers* it was like, Rory finds the answer to the mystery and you never see them confronting Greenlight about it. instead it's like 'everything was ok and we went home'. which i really didn't like.

otherwise. i'd say this was an excellent book. it was interesting to see the world from a different perspective and another possible future for the planet. I liked the environmental aspects to this book, and they are important lessons for children to learn about.

This is a well thought-out future world, if only our governments would move this fast. Thirty years hence, wilderness lands have full protection, oil and other fossil fuel projects no longer exist. But it seems the world’s desire for more electricity hasn’t gone away. Sufficiency didn’t get into the sustainability paradigm, obviously.

Rory (a girl, which confused me – is it common in the US to use traditional boys’ names for girls?) is more her father’s child than her mother’s. She loves the outdoors and wilderness things. But Dad lives isolated in the wilderness, and Mum works for a new corporate determined to extract oil in a biodegradable way. And Mum and Dad may not be formally together any more anyway. This is one of the things Rory is battling against. She also strives to settle among the hostile indigenous population, who did not leave when the wilderness was ‘cleared’ as the politicians would have it. They are still there, living in the remains of the settlement surrounded by ghosts. Figurative ghosts of course. Anything else must be a figment of Rory’s overstretched and overstressed imagination. Mum is really stressed of course.

Beyond the Frozen Horizon is a well-written suspense story, full of the flavour of Arctic Svalbard if a little off on some of the detail. The characters are extremely well drawn, and ring true, not only in their mixed emotions towards friendship to newcomers, but also in their antagonism to the oil company. It’s not just the big business ousting the locals, it’s more the protection of their pristine land, and the need for it to remain so. In fact underlying the whole story is a warning that even if we get big business to act now, we can’t rely on them to stay acting in the earth’s interests if their profits are at stake.

It’s a really good envisioning of one aspect of a climate changed future that most people could do with reading, let alone middle grade readers. I just had to dock half a star because of the Svalbard mistakes; the author did her research at the wrong time of year. But at least she did some research.

It’s 2030 and the Climate Crisis has hit the world at full force. New ‘Climate Laws’ have been laid out, completely banning the extraction & burning of fossil fuels and the production of single-use plastics, whilst heavily reducing the consumption of meat and dairy across the globe. World Wilderness Zones were established, acting as safe havens for wildlife - areas of conservation and rewilding.

The world has finally come together to stop destroying ecosystems and to protect what little is left of the natural world. But, as Rory discovers, all is not as it seems…

Rory’s Mum, an environmental geologist, is bringing her along on a 6 week long work trip to Svalbard in the Arctic. Her Mum has just landed a new job with a sustainable energy company called Greenlight, and is carrying out research on the rare earth materials found in one of the Wilderness Zones in Pyramiden.

They arrive to find a community of Sami people still living in the abandoned houses, refusing to leave the land they love and care for.

After befriending some of the local children, Rory learns that the island’s Reindeer are dying and that Greenlight are not at all as sustainable as they claim to be…

Beyond The Frozen Horizon is an absolutely beautiful introduction to so many important and relevant topics such as greenwashing, the exploitation of nature, the climate crisis & the importance of indigenous communities. Although quite heavy topics, Penfold incorporates them into the story in an exciting way, making it the perfect adventure read for kids.

It reminded me a lot of Islands Of Abandonment by Cal Flyn, as if it got written into a fiction book.

I highly recommend this to anyone with little ones in their life - or, if you’re like me and love cosying up with a light hearted children's book every now and then. I know I’ll be saving this one for if I ever have children of my own.

Thank you to NetGalley & Little Tiger for sending me this review copy - I loved it!

This is a truly lovely ecological tale of Rory and her geologist Mother and their adventure to the Arctic which has become an environmentally protected zone.


It concerns massive global environmental issues and much smaller personal themes such as loneliness and how to find your own way in the world, and I have to say the author has given both themes equal importance.


Rory follows her mother to the Arctic to escape her loneliness after her best friend moves away. She finds her problems have followed her there too as she again finds herself alone. I thought the paradoxical relationship between Rory and her mother was wonderfully written. Rory desperately wants to spend time with her mother but at times feels her smothering her. Her sadness over her parents separation, although not explicitly discussed, hangs over her like a dark shadow.


I liked Rory, she was intuitive and her compassion for the panet and it's animals was admirable. I did however struggle with the chapter when Rory ventured passed the allowed boundaries in town alone and unarmed in spite of many warnings about polar bears. It did not ring true to me that a girl who had researched and cared so much for the local wildlife would risk a bear getting shot (if it approached her) on a whim.


The author did a wonderfully job of describing the landscape, I could vividly picture the epic icy wonderland which was also tinged with the sad emptiness of a previous tragedy.


The story was interesting if a little generic (big bad corporation vs locals)and I loved the supernatural element to the tale.


The book had a very important message but told in an entertaining way for younger readers.


My favourite quote "Perhaps a child understands better than any of us" will ring true for any young reader with an interest in protecting our planet.


Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with a digital ARC through Netgalley for an honest review.

Beyond the frozen horizon was a beautiful story about friendship, trust and doing what’s right. I loved the makings of Rory’s character and seeing the way she grows and develops throughout the story was such a pleasure to read. The scenery in the book and the underlying themes of bravery and discovery can really open the eyes of the reader and relate to these characters.

I would definitely recommend this for children to read, there are some very strong morals that can be learnt for this book.

This is an excellent book because it talks about the environmental crisi in way that can be understood by children but it can also help adults.
I liked the style of writing and the well plotted story.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I love Nicola Penfold's work, and this did not disappoint. Beyond the Frozen Horizon transports us to a future where the north of Norway (and other parts of the world) have been declared Protected Wilderness, to help save nature and support species to thrive without human intervention. However, Greenlight Company, part of the new wave of Green commercial companies, is investigating extracting minerals from the far north. But is everything as it seems?

This is a thrilling read, intertwining ghost stories with reality (and Nicola cleverly draws upon the trend of unsettling stories set in the far North) but getting young people to consider the Eco future, and what that might look like, good and bad. There are universal themes of friendship, loneliness and courage which will resonate with all. All in all, a cracking read.

This is another wonderful addition to Nicola Penfolds catalogue of novels.
Great storyline & well written characters,
I wouldn’t limit this as a children’s novel, I’d recommend this to everyone.

I adore Nicola Penfold's previous two dystopian climate books and this one had similar vibes but was more uplifting and hopeful. It gave me shivers reading it - both the icy setting and the murky corporation as well as the ghostly elements. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

In the near future, English girls have names like Betty and Rory. Betty’s gone away, leaving Rory with her mother, and tagging along on her lengthy expedition to Svalbard. It gets her away from all the less friendly people at school, and her off-the-grid forest warden dad. The world has turned into one of draconian laws about fossil fuels, meat eating and nature reserves – reforesting Britain has shoved people back into new, low-energy high-rises. But there is still the urge for the next best thing, which is what Rory’s mum is looking to provide – checking out the old mines at Pyramiden to see if rare earth metals can be extracted for all the electric cars and greener gizmos the world is turning to. It’s just nobody told her that the company is ignoring the locals who are still living in Pyramiden – the project was supposed to be reviving a ghost town, when it’s not one – and they’re certainly not given the freshest of welcomes...

If anything, the thing about Rory being isolated at school and being dragged away for a break in the northernmost town on the planet, replete with the world’s most northerly empty swimming pool, grand piano, and so much more, is a problem. The book takes us almost a third of its time before really fixing what it is in our minds. It’s not really about Rory’s solitude, even when she does find connections later on. It certainly is about something else, and that’s the environmental message. And I found this masterfully done. It’s not a lesson, it’s not a harangue, it’s not a “you’re the last generation to kill off the bla bla bla and do something!!” shriek. This is a world where rewilding has forced humans back into tower blocks, and the Sami away from their flocks. This is a world where meat consumption is limited for Rory, but essential for people tied to reindeer and fishing; people on a remote corner of a remote island in a remote archipelago, not going to school, and never given the chance to go tree-hugging. There are neither rights nor wrongs to any side of the green argument – while it does clearly come down against historical whaling and hunting/trapping, it knows there are few solutions to the current problem, other than To Buy Flipping Less.

So, before I pretend you should not buy this book – I’m not saying that, yet, at least – what else is this? It’s essentially, but only eventually, a ghost story. Rory finds a Michelle Paver ghost book, she hears voices, she is gifted a book about the whales by supernatural hand, and eventually the story proves that if you break the circle of life as much as we did in this isolated sector of the globe, there will be ghosts remaining as a result. The town has seen disaster, both fictional and very real. People have wanted to leave. In the world of this novel, given the few decades it has between us and its timeline, some haven’t, and their memories are still living in the soil there with them.

Ultimately that’s perhaps a strand of too rich a soup for the target audience, which is declared to be the nines-to-twelves. The vocab, both of the book and of Rory, is too mature for that audience, for one, and even with the freshness of the first person present tense narration, the delay the book has in telling us what it’s really about is too much. On the flip-side, age-wise, this is too obvious about who is a goodie and who a baddie given this situation. And yet it ultimately comes down as a success – the obvious happy ending is never in doubt, but highly satisfactory when it comes. It’s a heart-warming drama, in the finish, with mostly likeable and real characters, and a rarefied environment used very well. I did feel I had an advantage having seen youtube videos recording Pyramiden, but all told this was a distinctive, and very visual, drama, using very serious issues and circumstances for a strong entertainment.

Beyond the frozen horizon by Nicola Penfold.

Thank you Netgallery UK for a ARC for an unbiased review.

Although a children's book, this was easily one others could read. It is set in the future, where Environmental practices have eased the impact of climate change.The story revolves around Rory, and his mum going out to Svelbard for his mother's job on environmental impact. Even early on, a line stood out for me, about though environmental protections have worked, standards are reduced over time, as greed and wanting to work around restrictions grows.

It was a tale that didn't feel as if it was lecturing at all, but highlights an important issue in ways that made it extremely accessible.
What I particularly enjoyed was the premise was written in such a way, that the intrigue and mystery was nicely balanced with hope, with action, with family. It was a lovely, well rounded book.
I'd not only say if you need a great children's book, this is one to include, if you're an adult and have a copy, don't be put off reading it either. I would certainly would buy it for kids in our family and tell the adults to read it as well.
I have no hesitation in saying this book is 5/5 stars ✨️

Beyond the Frozen Horizon... i think it might just be Nicola's best one yet!

I galloped through it!

Such a gripping, atmospheric adventure. Filled with intrigue, ice and friendships.

There's so much I loved about this - the intrigue, the relationships, the respect for the environment & how to fight for & maintain it in the right way.

Yet another amazing read from Nicola Penfold! Much like Where the World Turns Wild and Between Sea and Sky, Beyond the Frozen Horizon tells a story set in the not too distant future if we do not try harder to curb climate change. Nicola makes this need obvious through her writing without seeming like she is lecturing the reader on humanities mistakes.

Rory is a great main character: easy to empathise with and like. Her adventures are intriguing and exciting.

This is a super adventure story with a message about climate change for Year 5 - 7. It could be used as a basis for discussions about so many aspects of life, bullying, not fitting in, education, big business, traditional ways of life, the needs of wildlife humans in the future, which includes touching on whether an individual should be a vegetarian or a meat eater. Many of these issues are mentioned in a subtle way. If the book was for YA or adult readers the message would not have been different but the book would have been much more menacing and more violent. I was expecting something much more serious than the events that did happen and yet ... there was danger and apprehension in many parts of the book.

The author depicted the wonder of flying (and the fact that it should only be for essential travel), the wildlife Rory encountered and the growing understanding of how fragile the balance between wildlife and human activity is, in a magnificent way.

This book leaves the reader plenty to think about, and as other reviewers have said readers of Piers Torday's books will enjoy this one. A non-fiction book for a slightly older reader which would be compliment this would be "Extinctions", by Jean-Baptiste De Panafieu and Alexandre Franc.

Set slightly in the future in a world where Global Climate Laws were brought in in 2030, ‘Beyond the Frozen Horizon’ is a brilliant book that gives us a glimpse into a possible future.
The Global Climate Laws have banned extraction and burning of fossil fuels, have set targets to reduce the consumption of meat and dairy products, and have banned single-use plastic. World wilderness zones were also established, setting aside land for wildlife to try and increase their numbers.
Rory is going to spend 6 weeks in The Arctic with her mum who works for a company called Greenlight. They’ll be extracting rare earth metals from a wilderness zone in Svalbard. Lots of people have never been on an aeroplane since flights were restricted to essential travel only under the climate laws and Rory is excited. They travel to Longyearbyen first before continuing on to Pyramiden where the mining will take place. Upon arriving in Longyearbyen, Rory’s mum discovers that some of the old mining families haven’t left Pyramiden and the locals are less than happy about the arrival of the Greenlight employees. Greenlight, however, insist they are respectful of wildlife and aren’t doing any harm to the environment through their mining.
Rory is surprised to find there are a lot of children in Pyramiden, but they don’t seem too happy to see her: there is a lot of tension between the mining families and the Greenlight employees. Despite all this, Rory finds herself enjoying her new environment. She gets to see polar bears, the northern lights and makes friends with an Arctic fox called Kaiku.

There is so much information included throughout the story about Arctic animals, the environment and the people - a fantastic accompaniment to an Arctic or climate change topic. I loved getting to know the characters and the relationship between Rory and the locals as they try to understand each other’s way of life. This is such an important story in the light of today’s world and highlights how the greed of some can ruin things for everyone.

Is a very interesting book which had many elements in which were unexpected. Rory and her mam are going in an adventure to the Artic upon discovery the trip is now what it seems and the local inhabits don't seem very happy for them to be here. Rory encounters some scary things as well. There a very important element of climate through this book.

Wow! What a beautiful magical read. I was glued, a world described to perfection. I yearn to go. My goodness the author works her magic and weaves a beautiful tale. This is a story for all ages, I absolutely adored it. A tale of a Geologist and her daughter traveling on a scientific expedition. I am going to buy every book by this author, I love how she writes. Thank you Netgalley, what an amazing way to fill my day!

Rory is excited to travel with her geologist mum to the Arctic, not only is it rare to be able to fly somewhere in 2030 but to visit such sparse location that is protected is something very special and Rory is determined to make the most of it. But the company that has hired her Mum has angered the locals and this trip is not quite what it seems.

I found the way that the novel set up the environment of 2030 to be very interesting, it gives younger readers a notion of what climate change can do to our world and how we can react to it. Taking Rory into a new setting and seeing the world through someone else’s eyes was a lovely way of showing the contrasts that can exist in society, depending on our needs. The thriller aspect is cleverly wrapped around the ecology message with wonderful descriptions of stark but beautiful locations.

Set in the not too distant future, Nicola Penfold has imagined a world where certain parts of the planter are conservation areas to enable to world to heal.
Flights do not happen. Many people live a vegan lifestyle. Nature is protected.
Rory and her mum (a climate scientist) travel by plane and boat to Svalbard and further north to enable the mum to check that the mining for precious metals and minerals will be acceptable and non-invasive to this conservation area. The accommodation is bleak and the few children in the area shun Rory as a threat to their area and lifestyle.
This is a thought-provoking book about our impact on the planet, and how everyone has a significant role to play to ensure that individuals and big corporations do not destroy our world.

This book was enjoyed by me (55) and my son (12)

Beyond the frozen horizon
By Nicola Penfold
Published by Little Tiger Press

A futurist view of what might be just over the horizon for us if we don’t take note and make some serious environmental changes. The earth, land and wildlife are protected thanks to the scientific organisations researching new ways to support human life sustainably. A geologist and her son Rory are beyond excited to join a mining project and take a trip to the Arctic. But thanks to some smart investigations uncovering that the project isn't all that it appears. Rory learns what's at stake for the people, the wildlife and the future and it is his responsibility to prove this so changes can be made.

A powerful story of hope, mixed with action and intrigue giving a glimpse into the future, a world where we need to take action to protect our fragile planet.

This gripping adventure story is both a warning telling us what might happen to threaten nature. Along side a celebration, but only if we all work together, proving that every single person’s behaviour is both important and necessary.

Joanne Bardgett - Year 3 teacher of littlies, lover of books
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