When a man captures a great white bear, he is determined to bring it as a gift to the king of Finnmark. But to do that, first he must cross the Dovrefells—a mountain covered in snow and ice—in the middle of winter. On Christmas Eve, he reaches the house of a man named Halvor, and asks if he can stay the night. Halvor warns that every year on Christmas Eve, trolls come down from the mountains to take over his home, but the man and his polar bear think they may just be able to help...

Tomie dePaola (1934–2020) was the beloved author and/or illustrator of more than 270 books for young readers, including the children’s classic, Strega Nona. He was the recipient of the Newbery Honor, Caldecott Honor, and the 2011 Children’s Literature Legacy Award for “significant and lasting contribution to children’s literature.” A native of Connecticut, Mr. dePaola studied at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and spent much of his life in New London, New Hampshire.

32 pages. Hardcover. Ages 4-8.