The Little Match Girl (Pinkney book)
The Little Match Girl is a 1999 adaption of the classic Hans Christian Andersen story by Jerry Pinkney. It is about a girl who is a street vendor of artificial flowers and matches in a city during the early twentieth century and rather than returning home, as she hasn't made any sales, lights her matches to keep warm, sees wonderful visions, then dies and goes to heaven.
.jpg.webp) | |
| Author | Hans Christian Andersen |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Jerry Pinkney |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature, fairy tale, picture book |
| Published | 1999 (Phyllis Fogelman Books) |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 32 (unpaginated) |
| ISBN | 9780803723146 |
| OCLC | 40830108 |
Reception
Booklist, in a starred review of The Little Match Girl, wrote "The illustration of the match girl presents a challenge for artists, but Pinkney's interpretation is impressive." and "Because of the book's somber tone, some parents may object to the book's placement on the picture-book shelves, as CIP recommends. However, this is a beautifully illustrated version of a classic tale."[1] School Library Journal wrote "There aren't too many versions of this somewhat maudlin tale available-if you need one, this is the one to buy."[1] and The Horn Book Magazine found it "gracefully adapted".[1]
Publishers Weekly also gave a starred review and called it "A faithful retelling of a classic tale.." and "as transcendent as Andersen's."[2]
In addition, The Little Match Girl has been reviewed by Kirkus Reviews,[3] and the Chicago Tribune.[4]
Awards
- 1999 Parents' Choice Picture Books Award - Gold Award[5]
- 2000 Notable Social Studies Trade Books For Young People: Folktales, Myths and Legends - Selectors' Choice[6]
References
- "The Little Match Girl: Reviews". catalog.wccls.org. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- "The Little Match Girl". Publishers Weekly. PWxyz LLC. October 4, 1999. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- "The Little Match Girl". Kirkus Reviews. Kirkus Media LLC. October 15, 1999. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
deeply moving treatment of Andersen’s classic tale
- Mary Harris Russell (February 27, 2000). "Children's Corner Ages 5-9 years The Little Match Girl". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
The best works of imagination help us see what our eyes alone cannot. In Jerry Pinkney's adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's story, the invisibility of the poor among the affluent is central.
- "The Little Match Girl". parents-choice.org. Parents' Choice Foundation. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
this timeless tale is exquisitely rendered by Jerry Pinkney.
- "Folktales, Myths and Legends" (PDF). Social Education (Supplement). National Council for the Social Studies: 7. May 2000. Retrieved January 10, 2017.