Glacier on the move

Flo, a talking glacier, narrates its journey to the ocean in this picture book.Flo, whose voice is sociable and chirpy, is the perfect vehicle to inform readers about the hows and whys of glacial formation and movement in an accessible, often amusing way. The book's ingenuity doesn't stop there. Inhabiting the margins of the pages, as it would inhabit the interior of a glacier, the flat black silhouette of a knowledgeable ice worm gives succinct, clear facts about glaciers: "As snow piles on a glacier, the weight presses air out, compacting the snow into dense ice." The ice worm's facts are printed in a much smaller font than Flo's narration and seem designed for adults to interpret to young readers. The ice worm's facts are just enough to intrigue but not overwhelm readers, just as anthropomorphizing Flo connects readers empathetically. Illustrator Brereton's flat, stylized illustrationssome approaching abstract designmay not reinforce this connection, but what they do achieve is to give an impression of hardness and solidity (as befits a glacier); warm and cool colors are used to advantage to create the effect of changing seasons. Backmatter offers additional facts about glaciers, discusses climate change (a little proselytizing here about how readers can help), and, finally, since readers will be itching to know, explains what's the deal with ice worms (yes, they are real).Thoroughly engaging and filled with intriguing facts. (further reading) (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.