Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman

Odd is a very unlucky boy: his father died in a Viking raid, his leg was shattered in an accident, and his step-father has no time for a crippled step-son.  Add to that the fact that Winter  - Odd's least favorite season - is slow to leave his village this year, threatening the death of animals and humans alike.

So Odd sets off into the woods, where he encounters a fox, a bear, and an eagle - who are not who they appear to be.  In fact, they are the gods Loki, Thor, and Odin, having been tricked out of their immortal bodies by the Frost Giants who have taken over the gods' realm of Asgard.  It is up to Odd to lead them back to their mythical kingdom and defeat the Frost Giants so that Spring might finally come to earth.

Odd and the Frost Giants is a fun, quick read that serves as a nice introduction to Norse mythology.  And it's ultimately a very sweet tale about being what you're meant to be.  The author, Neil Gaiman, is one of my favorite writers, whether he's writing for children or adults!