Frozen by Mary Casanova

 Frozen is a  young adult novel is about a teenager named Sadie Rose who can’t speak because of a traumatic event in her childhood. Her foster parents are a wealthy couple who summer on Rainy Lake in Northern Minnesota near the Canadian border. The setting is around the 1920’s and Casanova has woven Minnesota historical events and issues into her story line. Sadie’s speech comes back as she begins to uncover the mystery to her past. She begins to piece together the story of why her prostitute mother was found frozen dead in the woods, taken to the town hall and propped up in the corner with a bottle of booze for all to see.  Sadie is driven to find answers to her past.

Woven throughout the story are historical issues dealing with prohibition, women’s rights, corrupt politicians and the fight to preserve wilderness areas in Minnesota.  Yet despite all of these social problems, the story has an easy to read nature which makes it accessible to middle school and teenage readers.  I wouldn’t recommend this to elementary students since there are mature themes dealt with in the novel.

The book trailer is beautiful and photographed in Rainy Lake. Also, this month the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine ran an article about the historical preservation of Rainy Lake from the 1920’s.  As I skimmed through the magazine when it came to the library, I realized how closely this related to the book Frozen.  In the magazine you will discover the real names of some of the characters described by the author.  You can read the issue online:  http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/volunteer/novdec12/toc.html

I think this is a very good addition to historical books about Minnesota history for young adults and gladly recommend it as a good read.

Book Trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc0XITt0fms