Pioneer Press: Mary Casanova’s ‘Ice-Out’ continues where ‘Frozen’ left off

Mary Casanova’s 2012 young adult novel “Frozen” was a hit with young readers. Now the author of more than 30 books continues the story with a different main character in “Ice-Out.”

Ice-Out (Mary Casanova)Mary Casanova, who grew up in St. Paul, writes in her Author’s Note that parts of “Ice-Out” are based on her grandparents’ and parents’ lives, including how little boys earned money by training rats to do tricks in bars. Much of the story is taken from accounts of events that happened in those days of Prohibition and corrupt government. Like “Frozen,” this novel has a perfect sense of place; readers can feel the cold, understand the fear of booze-runners who drive across dangerously thin ice. They can sympathize with Owen’s need to become an important man in a small town not far from Canada. His struggle with right and wrong will ring true to any teen.

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Published in: Pioneer Press
By: Mary Ann Grossmann