Reviewed by Demetria Head for Readers' Favorite

Elliot & Bo in Icyland by Agatha Georges follows a ten-year-old boy named Elliot who lives in Oregon. He wants to be a marine biologist like his Uncle Jesse and decides to go to the beach to collect seashells. But he discovers what looks more like a waste disposal site instead of a beach. There’s old fishing gear, garbage, and a toilet seat. Then Elliot sees a penguin tangled in seaweed and plastic webbing. He frees her and soon learns that she can talk and her name is Bo. Bo explains she is from the magical realm of Icyland, and it’s melting and going to cause the oceans to rise, leaving coastal towns underwater and garbage. She creates a portal in Elliot’s kitchen, pulling them into Icyland, where he encounters floating books, snow pillows, sliding ice ramps, and a Library of Whispers. With the help of a rhyming narwhal librarian named Noria, Elliot and Bo must move quickly to save both worlds.

Agatha Georges balances adventure with environmental awareness in Elliot & Bo in Icyland. It was informative without overwhelming readers. The pacing was moderate, and the scenes just kept moving from the discovery of Bo wrapped in plastic to the portal in the kitchen, and the intricate worldbuilding inside the Library of Whispers. Elliot’s character was brave but uncertain, just like any child his age. Bo was sarcastic and humorous, which added warmth and a good contrast to the tension. Noria brought the lyrical layer into the story that made it feel quirky. I loved Petronille’s illustrations that elevated the whole book. My favorite were the translucent bubbles and the floating books. Readers who enjoyed other eco-conscious fantasy stories like The Last Bear by Hannah Gold would love Elliot & Bo in Icyland.