The Snow Queen

by Angela Barrett (Illustrator), Naomi Lewis (Translator), Hans Christian Andersen

A young girl embarks on an epic quest to save the boy she loves in one of the most stirring Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales. Full-color illustrations.

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Fairy Tales

48 pages, Hardcover

Published September 1, 1988

About the author

Angela Barrett studied at the Royal College of Art in England with Quentin Blake and is one of Britain’s most highly acclaimed illustrators. She has won the Smarties Book Prize and the W. H. Smith Illustration Award for her work and has illustrated more than twenty-four books for children, including classic tales, fairy tales, biographies, story collections, and picture books. She lives in London.

Reviews

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

24 Hours in How Books and Ideas Talk to One Another: 8:30 p.m. on a Tuesday night, I finished listening to a sermon I missed at church where the teacher vigorously reminded me that "without Christ, we are spiritually dead and blind." 9:30 p.m. on that same Tuesday night, I thought, "Self, you should go to bed," but instead picked up a book on prayer to read one more chapter, this one on laboring in prayer for the lost, where the author noted the Bible says there are two things God saves: our tears and the prayers of the saints. 11 a.m. Wednesday morning, my daughter and niece situated themselves side-by-side on our tree swing to hear the conclusion of Kay and Gerda's story. Gerda enters the Snow Queen's palace where Kay is frozen stiff and almost dead due to splinters of a demonic mirror lodged in his heart and eye. As she approaches, Gerda prays her bedtime prayer and it puts the biting wind to sleep. Her tears of joy fall on his heart, dislodging the instrument of death there. Then she sings a little nursery-rhyme song hailing the arrival of the Christ child and healing tears clear Kay's eyes, too, and he's revived (or rather, resurrected). 11:30 a.m. Wednesday morning: My own heart and mind are satisfied by this neat and moving picture of a loved one saved by the mercy of God and the heartfelt prayers and tears of a friend.

[Dianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated and translated version of Andersen's tale.

[Jaina Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite version of my favorite HCA tale. I've read this copy more times than i can count, and everytime, i am enchanted and moved by the story and drawn deeply into the beautiful illustrations.

[Saffron Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This rating is for the version translated by Naomi Lewis and illustrated by Angela Barrett.

[Kaitlin Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe this was the edition I read as an 11-year old, but I didn't recognize anything beyond the cover. Still, it was delightful.