Long Way North

Gr 5 Up—Viewers are introduced to 15-year-old Sacha as she explores her lavish Russian home and dances with a prince at a ball. This lovely animated film quickly reveals that Sacha Tchernetsov is no princess wannabe, but a strong-minded adventurer. She feels kinship with her explorer grandfather, who disappeared while seeking the North Pole. When she finds his notes in the family library, Sacha is sure she can locate his missing ship. Traveling on horseback and by train, she arrives at a fog-shrouded dock. Sacha won't take no for an answer, and among the crew, she proves herself equal to every challenge that comes her way. Director and animator Rémi Chayé and screenwriter Claire Paoletti create a heroine who has a navigator's mind and an explorer's heart. The animation uses large blocks of richly toned, muted colors without much detail. The indoor scenes are often beautifully dark and murky, with only Sacha's blonde hair to lighten things up. In the snow-covered north, opaque fields of whites, blues, and grays give a gorgeous old-world feel, appropriate to the 1880s setting. Middle school teachers could pair this film with nonfiction books such as Martin Sandler's The Impossible Rescue and Jennifer Armstrong's Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World.