Do your kids love Frozen? If you’re reading this article, the answer is probably an overly dramatic “Yes!!!” I’m sure they’ve seen the film more times than you care to admit and their interest in all things Frozen extends into almost every aspect of your life. Disney knows this and is ready to fuel their obsession with four more Frozen books, some of which are already available.
Frozen: 5-Minute Stories is a large, hardcover book perfect for bedtime stories. Disney has published many books like this, but this one is 100% all Frozen. It features twelve stories, the first of which is a retelling of the film, but the other eleven are all brand-new original tales that expand your child’s view of Arandelle and the characters they love. These stories find Anna and Elsa having fun with a sleepover party, giving the giant monster Marshmallow a happy ending, making friends with a baby reindeer, throwing Olaf a summer-themed birthday party, and a high-seas journey to visit other kingdoms around the world. Most of the stories are fun and innocent, but some of them surprisingly educate with good morals and even aspects of cultures outside our own. And as a bonus, if you enjoy these characters you’ll probably find yourself enjoying these stories along with your kids. Bedtime stories no longer have to be something you suffer through with this collection. It features 188 pages of great artwork as well that are sure to keep your kids eyes engaged as you read to them. The best part is that these stories will appeal to elementary school-aged children and the reading level is such that as they approach middle-school, they will be able to read this on their own.
Looking for a smaller book with less text? Frozen: Arendelle Adventures Read-and-Play Storybook is really a condensed version of 5-Minute Stories and repeats four of the stories with less text. The four stories are “Across the Sea,” “Olaf’s Perfect Summer Day,” “Elsa’s Gift” and “Babysitting the Troll Tots.” They’ve been completely rewritten in this hardcover book, but reuses the same artwork on glossier pages. The stories are not interactive, as the title suggests. The “Play” part is there because this comes with a free download code for the Frozen: Storybook Deluxe App which works exclusively with iPhone and iPad. The download is concealed behind a fold-out flap attached to the inside cover and requires scratching off the seal to access it. It’s a nice addition to add value, but if you already own the app I recommend 5-Minute Stories over this book.
One of the cutest books I’ve seen in a long time is Frozen: Reindeers Are Better Than People. This small cardboard page book features plush antlers attached to the last page that give each of the characters a pair of Sven’s antlers as you turn each page. It is incredibly short with just ten pages, but the stylized artwork and antlers make it tons of fun. The book is a poem that Kristoff has written for Sven pointing out the great qualities of all of his friends, but how Sven is still the best. This book is perfect for the pre-school aged Frozen fan in your life and will be released on September 15h.
Do You Want to Build a Snowman? attempts to be an interactive book, but requires mostly imagination to make it so. The caption on the cover exclaims that you build Olaf by tapping the book. My initial assumption was that the book featured some sort of moving pieces or even weighted mechanisms that would cause the pages to react when you do what is asked (tapping, shaking, and spinning the pages). Unfortunately, no such things happen making this book appealing only to the littlest of kids. It’s about as interactive as a preschool program on Disney Jr. where kids are asked to dance along or answer questions aloud (there is a moment where kids are encouraged to yell a phrase at the book in the process of building Olaf). There’s very little story to be found in Do You Want to Build a Snowman?. Preschool age kids will surely enjoy it, but it will be disenchanting for anyone who has graduated past kindergarten.
Of the four, Frozen: 5-Minute Stories earns my highest recommendation. Not only is the price right, but the stories are fun for both kids and adults. For the cuteness factor alone, I also encourage you to check out Reindeers Are Better Than People. While the other two books pale in comparison to these two, the hard truth is that your Frozen obsessed little ones will love them, too. It’s hard to go wrong with so many great Frozen book available.