Review by Ian Keogh

Prince Syv has loved the legend of the Elderking since a small kitten, a Snowcat legend relating his failure to stop the covetous Sandfoxes from invading the palace. They stole a magical crown and laid a curse ensuring three broad stripes appeared on the fur of any Snowcat who betrayed their honour. That was centuries ago and the Elderking was never seen again.

Ten years later the King dies and the people have to chose which of his seven sons should inherit the kingdom. Because they know Syv is more popular, as seen on the sample art, his brothers fool him into heading on a quest to find the Elderking’s crown in order to ensure he won’t be voted King. Syv is actually quite timid, but fortunately he’s not too far from his walled city when he picks up a travelling companion.

Dina Norlund’s beautiful and brightly coloured cartooning will instantly attract young readers, and she seals the deal with a story hitting all the right fairy tale standbys, yet original within that, featuring a range of sympathetic characters. Norlund brings the wonders of assorted locations to glorious life in a way that’ll make adults, never mind children, want to explore them further, and while cute isn’t always desirable, here it is. There’s not going to be a person who isn’t charmed by the way Syv looks.

His journey is a steep learning curve. While Syv might be the only one of the family princes to mix with the people, in common with them he’s avoided leaving the city, and the world outside challenges his preconceptions. Why, there’s even a very different version of the Elderking’s story circulating in the wider world, where an ever encroaching magical poison is destroying the lands.

The Snowcat Prince is cleverly told and complete in the single volume where parents can be assured everything will end as their children want. Plus, for those parents who still believe in the magic of reading their children a bedtime story, it’s arranged in easy chapters.