For six long winter months, Alison McCreesh, her partner Pat and their two year old son Riel, traveled north of the 60th parallel. Through a combination of prolonged stays at artist residencies and short side-trips, they experienced six circumpolar countries: Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. This book contains Alison's original postcards, which she created daily, exploring not only the "Idea of North", but also illustrating, both through sketches and words, how her family dealt with the uniquely northern issues that they encountered in their circumpolar adventure. Alison's astute and often hilarious insights and observations give an intimate glance into the trials and tribulations of travelling, parenting, working and living in the North.