The ninth child and fourth daughter of a poor woodcutter's family the Pika (Swedish for young girl) is ignored by her mother even remaining nameless throughout childhood. The family lives in a land of eternal winter. The Pika is cared for by her siblings, especially the eldest Hans Peter - who returns a tired and worn man after spending most of the Pika's childhood traveling the world.
When the mystical white reindeer is seen around the outskirts of town all men of the village chase him. The girl joins the hunt in hopes that catching the white reindeer will grant her a wish.
The Pika manages to free the white reindeer without realizing it and he gifts her with the ability to understand animals and her greatest wish: a name. For the next few years the Pika keeps her name a secret and her gift of speaking to animals brings her family renown.
When an Isbjorn, giant polar bear, comes searching for the teenaged Pika her understanding of his language encourages the bear to implore the Pika join him in his palace in the North. Their home offers every luxury and convenience. The bear tells the Pika in exchange for a year with him her family will receive great riches.
The Pika agrees and is startled as each night a strange man joins her in bed - nothing so sinister as trying to take advantage, whoever the man is he climbs into bed in the dark of night and sleeps the night through, then is gone before the Pika wakes in the morning. The Isbjorn warns her not to light a candle, what the Pika discovers after several months of nightly visits is enough to drive her curiosity to nearly disregard the single request the Isbjorn has made of her.
Trapped in the mysterious castle with only the Isbjorn, his servants, and her wolf-pup from home the Pika discovers the magic and mystery are intertwined in a curse. A curse which has touched even Hans Peter and sends the Pika East of the sun and West of the moon to rescue her Isbjorn. A retelling of the Scandinavian folk tale Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow is aimed at young adult readers and full of grotesque magics practiced on everyday people.
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