The Snow Country Prince by Daisaku Ikeda (illus. by Brian Wildsmith and translated by Geraldine McCaughrean) is a story about two children, Mariko and Kazuo, who look after a wounded swan during the winter months when their fisherman father is away at sea. Winter is a cold and lonely time for the children but the season also marks its entry with the arrival of the swans who come to shelter in the marshes by the sea. However, this time the north wind is more severe than usual and creates ice on the edges of the sea making it difficult for the swans to forage. After a visitation by the Snow Country Prince who is worried about his feathered subjects, the children are encouraged to feed and take care of the swans. They are told, “Whatever happens, don’t give up.”
A wounded swan left by wolves is found on the shore line by the children who take it home to administer to its needs — never ‘giving up’ as the Snow Prince has told them. In the meanwhile, the childrens’ father has an accident and is hospitalized; the mother must leave the Mariko and Kazuo to attend to their father. The children, left alone, become determined more than ever to restore the swan to health.
The Snow Country Prince is beautifully illustrated by Brian Wildsmith in a colorful and captivating style. It’s a book most suitable for reading aloud with a child in your lap in a warm and cozy place. Ultimately a story about the virtues of kindness and determination encouraged by a figure of divine origin, The Snow Country Prince is also not a bad read for this time of year when such virtues of divine origin can be a cause for celebration.