Product Description
This Illustrated collection, beautifully translated by Pat Shaw Iversen, includes forty-seven of Hans Christian Andersen's immortal tales. ... Read more

Product Description
Here are all 159 tales written by Hans Christian Anderson, the master Danish storyteller, accompanied by illustrations from Arthur Rackham, Hans Richter, and other. These cherished tales include:

• "The Little Mermaid"

• "Thumbelina"

• "The Emperor's New Clothes"

• "The Snow Queen"

• "Ib and Little Christina"

• "The Princess and the Pea" ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Very nice book
This is a very good book.The cover may be a little boring but the quality is very nice especially considering the price.The pages are bordered with gold.The book looks like it's worth $50.Too bad my over priced college text books were not this nice or affordable.It's not often you find a hard cover book with gold leaves for $20!

This book contains a lot of short stories.Do not be shocked if many of the stories are somber.I selected three stories that I was not familiar with.All three stories were not your typical fairy tales.When I think of fairy tales I think of a light story with morals and happy endings for kids and adults.The three stories I read had moral lessons but they are geared towards adults.

People will be surprised that Hans Christian Andersen wanted to be known as a serious writer.He didn't target kids as his main audience.Sure, many of his stories are popular with kids but many less popular stories are definitely adult material.For example, I don't want to read any stories about war to my two year old niece.Many adult readers will be surprised by his stories.

In summary, get this book if you want to have a collection of stories from this famous author.You will not be sorry.

Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tales
I purchased this book because my daughter requested it for Christmas. She is an avid reader and was extremely thrilled to receive this book.She loves it!!!

Love the book
The book was in extremely good conditions when it was delivered & the gold tips with the leather binding was great as this looks like an older version of the book like hard back books used to be made that lasted a very long time.

clumsy translations / great stories
There are many better translations out there, so there is no excuse to produce something that reads badly.I was disappointed and bought another edition.Mine is being resold on Amazon.I hate these bogus "classics."

The Complete Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales, Deluxe Edition (Literary Classics)
Excellent edition, however I had hoped to receive one with colour plates rather than the black and white plates. This was my only disappointment.The book was luxuriously bound and beautifully put together. All the stories are there, and it is funny how ones memories can play tricks as I thought the description in the story The Tinder Box described one of the dogs as having 'eyes like saucers' when the book texted 'eyes like teacups' or 'eyes like towers'.I am in no position to argue, but the story still remains magical.

Worth having this in any serious book collection, but as the pages are quite fragile I would suggest avoiding letting children having free run of this in case it gets damaged, perhaps until they are at least about 8 with advanced reading capabilities.

... Read more

Product Description
Sixteen tales including "Little Claus and Big Claus," "Father's Always Right," and "The Goblin and the Grocer." ... Read more

Product Description
On the 200th anniversary of his birth, a new biography of the much-loved children's author, Hans Christian Andersen Hans Christian Andersen was a storyteller for children of all ages, but he was more than that. He was a critical journalist with great enthusiasm for science, an existential thinker, an observant travel book writer, a passionate novelist, a deft paper cut-out artist, a neurotic hypochondriac, and a man with intense but frustrated sexual desires. This startling and immensely readable, definitive new biography by Danish scholar Jens Andersen is essential to a full understanding of the man whose writing has influenced the lives of readers young and old for centuries. Jens Andersen sheds brilliant new light on Hans Christian Andersen's writings and on the writer whose own life had many aspects of the fairytale. Like some of the memorable characters he created, Andersen grew up in miserable and impoverished circumstances. He later propagated myths about his life and family, but this new biography uncovers much about this man that has never been revealed before. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Well Crafted 600 Page Biography Covering His Life
This is a well written and generally what one would call an excellent 600 page biography of perhaps Denmark's most famous writer who lived from 1805 to 1875. The book has lots of photographs and many interesting pieces of information. It goes into his life at a fine level of detail, and attempts to combine his life story with his travels and his writings, explaining the private and public personalities. I found the book to be expensive at book stores, very expensive, almost too expensive to buy, but it is less expensive as an on line purchase. It is written in a folksy style, a bit different from many biographies, and each chapter has a short one page introduction in italics to set the mood for that chapter. It covers most of his life in great detail more or less in chronological order starting with the young teen age Andersen about 14 - from poor parents - and his break at the Royal Theatre around 1820. There are some excellent photographs of the aging Andersen.

The book tells a fairly detailed story of his breaks and opportunities that allowed him to finish school and obtain some university level education at the Copenhagen University. The book includes many references to his writings including his first writings when he was just seventeen. Like many other famous writers such as Dickens, he came from a home where the father had failed to provide economic support and he had to find work in his youth to survive - and then his father died when he was just 11 years old. Like Dickens and others, that changed his outlook on the world, and Andersen wrote hundreds of stories and short pieces often with the aim of entertaining children to make them happier. Despite the economic hardships, he did gain some inspiration from his father. His mother was interested in folklore and that was passed onto Andersen and reflected in some of his writings. There are chapters on his travels and some on interactions with other European writers of his era in Germany, France and England, and in fact he did meet Dickens. An interesting chapter describes how the famous Andersen lives in his own country of Denmark often living as a free guest as a celebrity getting free meals and lodging - in a way similar to some of our modern athletes or movie stars who go to restaurants or resorts and expect to get free meals in exchange for being photographed with the owner, or giving them signed baseballs, etc.

Overall this is a good read and one can get a fairly good understanding of Andersen, right up to his declining years. He made a name for himself as a writer of fairy tales for children - about farm animals and similar that carry on in conversations as if they are people. He expanded this to include his travels as an element of his writings, Italy being one of the most famous countries, but not the only country. This topic is well covered in the book including trips from Denmark to Portugal and elsewhere. The book is very well organized - much more so than many biographies - and it has a good introduction and index, but not much in the way of notes and follow up documentation. Also, as the authors point out, some of the references are written in Danish.

In any case, this is a substantial but easy to read biography, and one is impressed with the effort and the level of detail.

5 stars.

The Radically Bizarre Source for the Best Fairy Tales
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN as written by Jens Andersen and beautifully translated form the Danish by Tiina Nunnally is that sort of biography we all long to read: the facts are all well-researched, the data is all in place, but the book reads like a novel.

Andersen's background is a fairytale unto itself and if ever there was a man whose beginnings belied his later success and durability as a writer, this man is it.Gratefully his oeuvre was appreciated in his lifetime and his wondrous tales have pleasured young and old alike for well over a hundred years.In his native Denmark he is considered a near 'saint' and his books have been translated into every language and are in the homes of children of all ages throughout the world.

This biography is, thankfully, not afraid to discuss those darker aspects of Andersen's life, but the way in which the author deals with this difficult information is the model of excellent reportage.The narrative style of Andersen on Andersen is by far the most positive aspect of this fine book.

Despite the weight (over 600 pages) of this tome, it is not daunting in the least.It reads quickly and entertainingly and is as fine as any biography of the world's favorite children's writer on the shelves.Highly recommended.Grady Harp, June 05 ... Read more

Product Description
Lilly Owens, ed. Illustrated edition of 159 cherished tales that have enchanted readers for generations. Includes The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor's New Clothes, Snow Queen, all uncut with beautiful illustrations by Arthur Rackham, Hans Richter, et al. 60 B&W illustrations. 816 pages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

THE COMPLETE HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN FAIRY TALES
These are the original fairy tales!I could not put the book down!If you like fairy tales, you will love this book.These are not at all like the ones you heard as a child.

Censored edition misses the point
The purpose of the classic fairy tale is to give one insight into the inner workings of the human psyche. That is why these stories were passed down orally for generations and painstakingly preserved by the Brothers Grimm.

Hans Christian Andersen has watered the stories down and thereby lost the power that they were meant to impart.

Try Pantheon's version of Grimm's Fairy Tales instead.

HansChristian Anderson book
I was very satisfied with the book it was in unbeivably good shape and I am enjoying it very much

Fairy Tales
I bought this book and must admit to not paying attention to the typeset or quality of the paper.It didn't matter to me because I was still being transported away with the memories of the wonderful fairy tales from my childhood.

The book still serves its purpose, the tales are as wonderful and magical as I remember them, and I look forward to reading them out loud to my grandchildren.Better still, the format will still see them enjoying it in their adulthood as it does me.

It is good to see these stories have been kept alive and well preserved.

For the price, its been well worth it for me.

HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSON
MY GRANDKIDS WILL ENJOY THIS AS MUCH AS I DID AS A CHILD WHEN MYMOM READ TO ME. ITHAS ALL HIS WRITINGS. ... Read more

Product Description
The everlasting tales of a favorite storyteller are celebrated in this colorful compendium. Eight stories such as "Silly Hans", "The Ugly Duckling", "Thumbelina", and "The Princess and the Pea" are each illustrated by a different artist in full color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

can't complain about Andersen's
I read Andersen's Fairy Tales as a little kid and learned a good lesson that I still remember thesedays. I was hoping to find that story here but did not. It contains only a few but still a good book with good illustrations. I will need to buy some more books and I think I will wait for my three year old to grow up a bit older before I read him the book again.

My kids loved this book!
This book contains many tales by Hans Christean Anderson that entertain children of all ages. My children did a play about Hans Christean Anderson and after reading the book they love his stories even more. It is awonderful book that brang enjoyment to my whole family! I recommend it foryour kids as well! ... Read more

Product Description
This delightful selection of stories by one of the classic masters of the genre includes some well-known and lesser known tales, presented in lively Naxos AudioBooks style with music and sound effects. This recording is also unique in that the stories are read by the finalists in the Naxos AudioBooks/ The Times Voice of the Year competition which offered a recording opportunity to talented readers who had never studied or worked professionally. The competition produced some outstanding natural talents as this recording shows! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Super Value
The production is great; and, I just found the same audiobook (Thumbelina and Other Fairy Tales) packaged with an additional three audiobooks from Naxos AudioBooks' Junior Classics series: Happy Endings [AUDIOBOOK] [SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION] (Audio CD)by Hans Christian Andersen (Author), The Brothers Grimm (Author).

All four audiobooks @ $15.59- That's a value!

Excellent choice for auditory learners
Very pleasant speaking voices, the classical music is well done and offsets the stories nicely without overwhelming the narrative. The stories have morals well worth listening to in the car or at bedtime. The prose is well-written and has an excellent selection of vocabulary words presented in a very straight-forward and intelligent format. Thumbelina was one of the stories with which I was previously familiar and the others will soon become favorites, as with most of Hans Christian Anderson. Wonderful way to expose children to the written word in an interesting format. The stories do not seem to be altered from the original prose, although I would have to check that to be sure. Excellent choice for auditory learners. ... Read more

Product Description
Once there was a little mermaid who fell in love with a human boy . . .The story may be familiar, but Lisbeth Zwerger's art makes this fairytale seem brand-new. This Jubilee edition, celebrating 200 years of Hans Christian Andersen, is superbly illustrated in Zwerger's signature style. Known for her popular and award-winning editions of classics such as The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland, Zwerger is herself the recipient of the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for lasting contributions to children's literature. The Little Mermaid is sure to win her new fans, and to delight her old ones.

The text is an all-new translation by Anthea Bell, and includes many lovely and poignant details that may be new to even those who think they know the little mermaid's story well. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

The Little Mermaid
The translation from the original Danish is very nice.And that's what I bought the book for. The artwork is not the best children's book artwork I've seen - but it's okay.

Very beautiful and sad at the same time...
I really loved this version of The Little Mermaid. It was very beautiful and sad at the same time. I loved the part where it was talking about each of the mermaid's 15th Birthday that they would go up to the serface and see what it was like. The book was sad in a way. It was when the little mermaid was talking to her grandmother and found out that they don't have a soul after they die. The part about the sea witch was kind of scary... but not. Though I didn't like how she had to cut the mermaid's tounge off. The mermaid does give up everything and her life... because the one whom she loved fell in love with another girl. You have to read this book for yourself. I really loved this book! I hope you will too!

Disappointment
I love this fairy tale, and I love this illustrator, but I do not love this book.The story itself is unnecessarily wordy and boring.The illustrations, while lovely, are boring, too.That's the short and sweet of it.Disappointment.

an original touch
One shouldn't expect the cliche' in this book's artistic approach. It is original and understandable, making it possible for children and adults alike to have an image of Hans Christian Andersen's wording. Although quite few images are present, they are infact very nice and pleasing to look at.

Even Mermaids Die of a Broken Heart
This is the true story of The Little Mermaid. Unlike the Disney version where she gets the prince, the mermaid dies of a broken heart when the Prince whose life she saved marries another. The tragedy of the ending is what made the original version so touching. A beautiful mermaid gives up her voice, her family, her life in the sea in order to be with the one she loves. The promise is the love and the soul of sacrifice. It was a love dependant on another, being the Prince, and the risks she took were considerable. When the Prince falls for the woman he thought rescued him at sea it is the end of the Little Mermaid's quest for eternity. But since she doesn't kill him and his new bride she gets what she wanted all along ... a soul ... and no longer needs the Prince to live as a spiritual being in eternity. Not only is the little mermaid free from the curse of the Sea Witch but she earns her soul on her own volition. The Prince was merely a conduit to her wish. It is more poignant this way since the little mermaid no longer needs to earn love from anyone except herself.

[...]

"Among the daughters of the air," answered one of them. "A mermaid has not an immortal soul, nor can she obtain one unless she wins the love of a human being. On the power of another hangs her eternal destiny. But the daughters of the air, although they do not possess an immortal soul, can, by their good deeds, procure one for themselves. We fly to warm countries, and cool the sultry air that destroys mankind with the pestilence. We carry the perfume of the flowers to spread health and restoration. After we have striven for three hundred years to all the good in our power, we receive an immortal soul and take part in the happiness of mankind. You, poor little mermaid, have tried with your whole heart to do as we are doing; you have suffered and endured and raised yourself to the spirit-world by your good deeds; and now, by striving for three hundred years in the same way, you may obtain an immortal soul."

The little mermaid lifted her glorified eyes towards the sun, and felt them, for the first time, filling with tears. On the ship, in which she had left the prince, there were life and noise; she saw him and his beautiful bride searching for her; sorrowfully they gazed at the pearly foam, as if they knew she had thrown herself into the waves. Unseen she kissed the forehead of her bride, and fanned the prince, and then mounted with the other children of the air to a rosy cloud that floated through the aether.

"After three hundred years, thus shall we float into the kingdom of heaven," said she. "And we may even get there sooner," whispered one of her companions. "Unseen we can enter the houses of men, where there are children, and for every day on which we find a good child, who is the joy of his parents and deserves their love, our time of probation is shortened. The child does not know, when we fly through the room, that we smile with joy at his good conduct, for we can count one year less of our three hundred years. But when we see a naughty or a wicked child, we shed tears of sorrow, and for every tear a day is added to our time of trial!"



... Read more

Product Description
Written for young children with all the warmth, wit, and character of the 19th-century originals, this collection, previously published as Elf Hill, offers a rich mix of fairy and toy tales from the master of the form. Naomi Lewis’s translations capture the poetry of Andersen’s simple style, while Emily Chichester Clark’s colorful art finds the vibrancy and whimsy in these stories. From elaborate tableaux to piquant vignettes, the illustrations resonate for both fans and new readers with their images of elves and trolls cavorting in the woods and toys comically assuming human airs in the playroom. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Wondeful
This is a beautifully produced book. Wonderful illustrations which are works of art in their own right and a translation of Andersen which is faithful to the original. ... Read more

Product Description
"The Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen" is a magnificent collection of 40 of his most magical works, including "The Little Mermaid", "The Princess and the Pea", "The Tinderbox" as well as lesser-known delights such as "The Shepherdess and The Chimney Sweep", "The Teapot and The Goblin at the Grocer's". Unlike many other dull and stilted translations, this collection of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales captures the freshness and sparkle of Andersen's original Danish text. Beautifully illustrated with exquisite watercolours and edged and picked out in sumptuous gold, the "Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen" is a book for both young and old to treasure and the perfect gift for children. The "Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen" begins with an introduction that sets Andersen in the context of earlier and contemporary storytellers and those he has influenced, such as J. K. Rowling. This biographical introduction provides a fascinating account of 'the fairytale of my life' as Andersen described it, backed up with photographs and Andersen's own artworks.The publication date of the "Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen" is set to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Andersen's birth. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Illustrated by the beloved creator of Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, The Little House, and Katy and the Big Snow, here is a delightful version of the tale that boys and girls have loved for centuries. The Emperor himself, his court, and his clothes—or lack of them—are ridiculous as only the master storyteller Hans Christian Andersen can make them. Fifty-five years ago, Virginia Lee Burton added to this tale of fun her own irrepressible humor in pictures and design. This brilliant new edition features Burton"s original illustrations photographed anew, freshly exhibiting her lively concoction of remarkable spirit and beauty. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Nice story, nice illustrations - one nude scene, though
Among the many great stories collected by Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) is the story of The Emperor's New Clothes. This wonderful book is a translation of Andersen's story, rounded out with bright and colorful and yet realistic illustrations. My little one really liked the story - especially the picture of the naked emperor walking away from the viewer. (Although I must admit that I was less than thrilled with that picture!) Be aware of that one picture, but other than that it's a great book.

Classic Story and Excellent Art
I have seen several versions of the story on TV but I was blown away by the art of Virginia Lee Burton in adapting this Hans Christian Anderson fable. For us visual types the art helps frame the story. It is also cleaverly done when the emperpor is looking in the mirror the angle is such that we see what the empoer sees. It is a great story for early elementary teachers (grades 1 and 2) to read aloud to their reading groups. It is also a good story for remedial English learners because it is an interesting story and the vocabulary is straight forward. It woulld be an excellent project for student teachers to use for any of their reading class projects. As with all fables it has a moral without being religious.

A Very Good Retelling
The emperor has no clothes but don't tell anyone else about it.You may be stupid or unfit for your position.This book has great illustrations and a great retelling.Highly recommended.

Helped my son to read
I had been given 2 of these books from a friend and I decided to see if there were anymore.My son loves this book.He's now working on reading the adult side.It's a great idea to have a page each, 1 for the adult and 1 for the child.We have several of these books now and I see my son sitting down and reading them on his own.

A delightful gem
Generally, I do not care for audio books; many of the readers speak in a dull voice that rapidly drives me either away from the story or to sleep.However, there are a few exceptions; this is one.

Understand, that thisis not the normal audio book; this edtion has a large cast of actors whocollaborated to produce this item as a fund raiser for Starbright.

Theresult is an ensemble piece that is witty and charming.Part of the funfor me, was guessing who was reading before looking at the cast listincluded in the box.

Other folks feel that this isn't for children; Idon't know as I don't have children, but I found that my "innerchild" was highly entertained for 40 minutes with this tape.

If youare a fan of one or more of the actors in this edition or like puns (thereare many here!), then you will probably like the Starbright edtion of theEmporer's New Clothes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Just what I was looking for !!
Having recently visited Odense, Denmark, with a tour guide who is a true Andersen expert, I was eager to take her suggestion that I find a more authentic translation of Andersen's work than is generally available.This book provides just what she recommended.Its short biogrqphical sketch of the man presents the REAL H.C. Andersen accurately, according to what I learned about him in Denmark, & the stories themselves are not "cleaned up" but are direct translations.I especially appreciate insights provided in the Notes at the end of each tale.They give the reader an even deeper look into the complex, fascinating man.This is not your Danny Kaye's H.C. Andersen !!

Too much information for my kids
What a shame!The book IS beautiful.I had hoped to give it as a gift to my 5 year old, but the biographical notes are much too sexually explicit.

Richly rewarding for all
The presentation of this book is superb; it is beautifully designed and produced, with charming illustrations that are especially apt, as they were executed by Andersen's contemporaries.

The admirable introduction places Andersen in the context of his time, and for American readers, links him to this country in a fresh way. A perfect length, the introduction provides the kind of information that makes one eager to get to the stories, yet it is not so detailed that, as too often happens with the more long-winded variety, it is skipped. Don't skip it, for it serves as an important guide to the stories, noting Andersen's adult concerns and anxieties imbedded beneath the surface of the tales, which remain wonderful out-loud reading for small fry.

The stories themselves are a revelation--dispelling the prejudices engendered by Danny Kaye and Disney. Stories taken for granted are new and impeccably rendered in this translation. (Even the notes are great--and should be read before the stories, filled as they are with fascinating information. Also, they're conveniently placed at the end of each story, yet the pages are not sullied by superscript numbers.)
This is a perfect gift, but be sure to keep one for yourself. ... Read more

Product Description
The fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen have delighted readers for generations with their originality, whimsy, and humorous treatment of such human foibles as vanity, snobbery, and greed. This collection of some of the author's most popular tales includes, among other stories, "The Little Mermaid," the story of a mermaid princess who falls in love with a human; "Great Claus and Little Claus," an account of a clever young man who turns a series of misfortunes into a fortune; as well as the tales of "The Ugly Duckling," "The Red Shoes," "Thumbelina," "The Emperor's New Clothes," and many more. Dover original selection of 12 unabridged stories from standard editions.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Danish Master Storyteller Touches the Heart
Over the decades I have enjoyed many HCA fairy tales--considering them a gift to childlike hearts the world over. Many excellent illustrators have chosen individual stories to depict, thus capturing the imagination of readers of all ages.Still I must admit to being disappointed by this Harper anthology which is not all inclusive. The tales vary in length from rather long to absurdly short--not that length alone proves a valid yardstick for enjoyment.

Despite the author's occasional subtle humor he intrudes too much of himself into many tales--as if readers were really interested in hearing about the actual storyteller as well as his characters. One wonders if he were trying to curry favor and royal patronage. Before reading aloud to youngsters: be warned that some tales are brutal or grisly, while others seem legitimate pleas for social reform. His favorite themes for general moralizing portray the dangers of excess: greed, violence and vanity. Was HCA trying to instruct or merely entertain his young readers despite his heavy literary agenda? ... Read more

Product Description

The beloved New York Times bestselling author of Wicked reimagines Andersen's "The Little Match Girl" for modern readers, putting a new twist on a timeless classic.

Customer Reviews (33)

Matchless
Matchless, by Gregory Maguire

I was looking for a short introduction to Maguire, and "Matchless" fit the bill perfectly. It's a slim retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Match Girl" story, which I'm a little ashamed to say I'd never heard before this. Maguire does take some liberties in changing the story a little bit, which he notes at the end.

"Matchless" is a bit sad, but also has some bright points. Frederik is a new character, and he is the urchin that takes the match girl's slipper. He uses the slipper as a boat for his toy people, which themselves are empty thread spools. He lives with his mother in poverty; she is a seamstress to an unnamed queen. It is his taking of the match girl's slipper that will lead himself and his mother to a new life, but one that comes about because of tragedy.

For me, "Matchless" was an okay story, one that I'll likely forget in a few days. Maguire also illustrated his retelling, but the pictures didn't do much for me either. I will probably check out more of the author's writing, though.

2/5.

Very short & sad...
I love Gregory MaGuire I thought a Christmas story by him based on "The Little Match Girl" might be great having read all his other books. The first thing I noticed was how short it was. It is a really tiny book with little embellishment compared to his other novels he based on fairy tales. It was a very sad story originally, & was kept sad by Mr. MaGuire. I know he wanted to keep the Hans Christian Anderson integrity of the story but I was hoping he would lighten it up & make it a more cheerful Christmas tale. I will not be sharing this story with my daughter anytime soon due to its sad nature. His additions were clever, but I was hoping for more.

Look for a deal
I'm a bit behind the intended reading time for this short, short, short novella (illustrated story), but it finally arrived in my mailbox, and I had so been looking forward to it.

_Matchless_ is a retelling of Hans Christian Anderson's "The Little Match Girl" with a bit more depth to the story.For those readers a fan of the original tale, readers a fan of one of the masters of re-explorations of known stories, or readers looking for a Christmas tale, this is certainly a good choice.It does need a forewarning that while this might have more depth than the original fable, it certainly does not have the depth and exploration of characters as Maguire's other works.

While I can't say that I fell anymore in love with Maguire after reading this piece, I can say that there was enough in the tale to make it worth the 15 minutes I spent reading it. And it was a pleasure to look over the illustrations in the book as well, knowing that they were done by Maguire, helping to shine a light on what he felt were the most important visuals of the story.

Take your time and find a stellar deal on this book if you are going to be paying for it.But it is a nice piece to have in your holiday collection.

Maguire Works His Magic
As a Gregory Maguire fan I preordered this item and got it when it was released.I read it immediately and fell in love with the story.I hadn't heard the tale since I was a child and discovering it for myself again now was wonderful.While it may not be suited for all children, it's a beautifully written (and gorgeously illustrated) story of love, loss, and happiness.I recommend it to anyone who enjoys fairy tales.

More fun since it's Maguire, but still sad
I love Gregory Maguire ... with "Matchless", I think I've read everything he's published at this point. Overall, I liked "Matchless" more than "What the Dickens" (another winter/Christmas themed one about a "rogue tooth fairy") but it was still just as sad as the original "Little Match Girl", which I didn't expect. Nevertheless, it will definitely have a permanent place amongst the Christmas book selection at our store in years to come. We sold several copies already this Christmas season.

Even though Maguire has written other 'short' books as a series for children/young adults ("Seven Spiders Spinning", etc.), this is a little darker, as was the original "Little Match Girl", so if you're looking for a sweet Christmas story, this is probably not the one for you and your kids. If you love Maguire's other work, and you like your Christmas stories a little off the beaten path, add this one to your collection. Read it aloud together, maybe on the way to grandma's house.:) ... Read more