Edda

PreS-Gr 1—Edda is the littlest Valkyrie, and she lives in the magical land of Asgard. Here, she plays with narwhals, banishes monsters, and feasts on meats and stews. Life is pretty good, but Edda longs to spend time with someone her own age. Her wise father flies her to Earth, where she joins a classroom of peers. Although she's nervous, Edda remembers that Valkyries are very brave, so she plunges into the school routine. She initially has trouble sitting still, waiting in line, and writing in her journal. When her thoughts turn to her many adventures at home, she fills her pages quickly, and the class is mesmerized by her tales. Ultimately, Edda's uniqueness helps her make new friends, and at the end of the day, a boy from her class returns to Asgard with her, eager to learn more about Edda and her magical world. Susie Berneis's expressive narration of Adam Auerbach's picture book (Holt, 2014) is complemented by upbeat background music and appropriate sound effects. Although the digital illustrations are a little flat, viewers will be able to relate to Edda's feelings of being a misfit, and they will root for her as she finds her way.