In Anne Ursu’s Breadcrumbs Minnesota is a magical place covered in glittery snow and shiny ice. You remember when winter used to be like that, don’t you? As I write this review in January there’s no snow to be found, and because I’ve read Breadcrumbs I’m convinced our usually snowy state is in the thrall of some sort of enchanted Heat Miser who abhors snow.

It’s hard not to be enchanted by the fairy tale aspects of Breadcrumbs that mix so wonderfully with the mundane world. Here we have Hazel, an eleven-year-old girl, who doesn’t quite fit in. Her parents have recently divorced and her dad is a bit MIA, wrapped up in his new life. Hazel’s mom is struggling to provide Hazel with stability and implores her daughter to get her head in the game so to speak.

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