Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman (2009)

Free uncorrected proof from ALA. Gaiman, the Newberry winner tells this tale of Odd, a crippled boy in Norway, who runs away with a fox an eagle and a bear, that turn out to be Norse gods bewitched by Frost Giants. You know the way of tales, the kid comes through, and all live happily ever after. It was interesting that Gaiman wove various mythical characters as well as history into his tale. Of course I knew Vikings went a raiding, but didn't think about the fact that they probably brought back prisoners - women and children, and that their blood would be mixed in the gene pool.