Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy
by Karen Foxlee

Hardcover, 240 pages

Published January 28th 2014 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Ophelia Jane Worthington-Whittard is the last person you would expect to be the chosen one. The One Other who will save the world from the icy grip of the Snow Queen. Knock-kneed Ophelia's glasses are always smudged, her pockets have holes in them and she constantly needs her puffer when she gets too excited. She is a proud member of The Children's Science Society of Greater London who thrives on making lists and explaining everything with logic and reason. She has no patience for things of magic and fantasy. Ophelia's emotions and beliefs are put to the test when her father accepts a job at a museum in a strange city full of snow and ice. As her father works and her older sister grows distant, Ophelia is left to explore the complex and mysterious galleries of odd collections. She discovers a boy who is locked in a small room behind a fantastic mural. He tells her the most ridiculous tale full of crazy wizards, bizarre creatures, and an evil snow queen. As she tries to cope with her falling apart family she is thrust into a quest that is beyond anything she had ever imagined.
Ophelia is a realistic strong-girl character that is sure to engage many readers in her adventure. This is a fun spin on the classic Snow Queen fairytale.