I can see why this won the Printz. However, much of it was a struggle for me. The writing itself, and especially the description, was amazing. However, the possible prospect of dying alone in the middle of a 5.4 million square mile chunk of ice is way way way too scary for me. 
 I think this would be a hard sell to teens, especially reluctant readers, but may be good for an honor's English extra credit project. Or a compare/contrast with the bio of Captain Oates. 
 The idea of giving a 14-year-old girl a 1900s dead explorer as an imaginary friend was risky, but I think it works here. 
 Favorite quotes: 
 "Tell them how ships find their way through pack ice by reading ice-blinks off the clouds." 
 "An Easter-egg planet full of sugar-almond worlds..." 
 "Warmed by his words, I pocketed him, like a slab of wholesome peppermint cake, for later." 
 "brandishing Fright like a weapon"