The Night Iceberg

This book is about two issues: having a new baby brother to contend with and learning to share. They are very much interconnected in the story, which is all about Tofta, who must learn to share her toys and even her room with the new baby. She is not pleased, and when an iceberg comes floating by her window one night, she decides to make it her very own iceberg and not share it with anyone. Carrying her little suitcase, she boards the iceberg and revels in having it all to herself. Only she doesn’t. A penguin lives there too, and he would rather have it all to himself as well. Something of a stand-off then. When Tofta gives the penguin one of her sardines, he is suitably grateful and nuzzles her arm, but then to Tofta’s alarm, he swims off and returns with 500 family members! Sharing the iceberg is the only solution, and the penguins and the little girl spend a happy time sliding on the ice and telling stories until Tofta realises she wants to go home. It is the penguins that steer the iceberg back for her, and in the morning she can hardly wait to tell baby brother about her adventures. There is a Scandinavian feel about the illustrations in this charming and quirky picture book. The energetic and original illustrations (chalk, watercolour and vibrant line) which lend light and shade to great effect show us wooden houses and tall pine trees – and wonderful penguins with expressive, hopeful faces. An unusual approach to the problem of a new sibling and the need to learn to share one’s life as well as one’s possessions.