Little Daughter of the Snow

by Arthur Ransome, Tom Bower (Illustrator), Shena Guild (Editor)

Childless and sad, an old Russian man and his wife watch the village children playing in the snow. One day they decide to make their own little snow girl. Imagine their amazement when her eyes start to shine, her hair turns black and she comes alive! But, as Little Daughter of the Snow tells them, she isn't quite like other children: she plays outside all day and night, and eats ice porridge for breakfast. This poignant retelling of Arthur Ransome's classic Russian tale, with stylish illustrations by Tom Bower, carries a strong message about the true value of love.

Genres: Childrens, Fairy Tales, Picture Books, Fantasy, Love, Russia

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Arthur Michell Ransome (January 18, 1884 – June 3, 1967) was an English author and journalist. He was educated in Windermere and Rugby.

In 1902, Ransome abandoned a chemistry degree to become a publisher's office boy in London. He used this precarious existence to practice writing, producing several minor works before Bohemia in London (1907), a study of London's artistic scene and his first significant book.

An interest in folklore, together with a desire to escape an unhappy first marriage, led Ransome to St. Petersburg, where he was ideally placed to observe and report on the Russian Revolution. He knew many of the leading Bolsheviks, including Lenin, Radek, Trotsky and the latter's secretary, Evgenia Shvelpina. These contacts led to persistent but unproven accusations that he "spied" for both the Bolsheviks and Britain.

Ransome married Evgenia and returned to England in 1924. Settling in the Lake District, he spent the late 1920s as a foreign correspondent and highly-respected angling columnist for the Manchester Guardian, before settling down to write Swallows and Amazons and its successors.

Today Ransome is best known for his Swallows and Amazons series of novels, (1931 - 1947). All remain in print and have been widely translated.

Arthur Ransome died in June 1967 and is buried at Rusland in the Lake District.

Reviews

[Mario · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful fairy tale. I can see why it inspired Eowyn Ivey to write The Snow Child.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a variation of the traditional Russian fairytale, The Snow Maiden. Although this children’s book doesn’t have a happy ending, like Freya Littledale’s version, I did like the lesson placed on the importance of valuing the people in our lives and always loving much.

[CLM · Rating 3 out of 5]

Taken from his collection of Russian folk tales. In many folk or fairy tales there is a reward for being clever and using trickery to protect oneself but here the old couple outwits a fox that helped them and is punished.

[Melissa Buck · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good story about an elderly couple who seeks to have children of their own so they decide to create a daughter made entirely from snow. The story tells the life of this little girl who makes some great friends and loves her new family, however, the story turns dark when she ventures out into the forest and gets lost. Animal after animal offers to help her home but she doesn't know if she can trust them. Can the little snow daughter get home safe or is this her end?

[isabell ☮︎︎ · Rating 2 out of 5]

there was a reason why the old man and woman never had any children themselves cuz they selfish af. that’s why the daughter chooses to leave them and as she should !! she rly said “no mommy or daddy issues for me”

[Christina Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully-ilustrated version of a classic folktale, one of my favourites! Going into the Book Advent Calendar this year!

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming Russian tale translated (thankfully) into English.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was one of the inspirations for Eowyn Ivey's novel The Snow Child, which I loved. This picture book does not disappoint. I was so sad when the snow daughter's earthly parents do not give proper thanks to the red fox for finding their lost daughter. It was a test and they failed.

"Old ones, old ones, now I know
Less you love me than a hen,
I shall go away again.
Good-bye, ancient ones, good-bye,
Back I go across the sky;
To my motherkin I go --
Little Daughter of the Snow."

"Just then, the door blew open. A cold wind filled the room, and the Little Daughter of the Snow was gone. She leapt into the arms of Frost, her father, and Snow, her mother, and they carried her high up over the stars to the far north. There she plays all through the year on the frozen seas, the Little Daughter of the Snow."

May we learn from their mistake and show that we are generous, fair and good-hearted.

[Kayleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this little story up as a follow on from The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. If you didn't know, Ivey's inspiration for the novel came from this short story or Children's fairytale.
Overall, I thought this had the perfect mix of magic and mythology with youthful hope and wonder. The storytelling aspect was really enjoyable and I loved the form of narration.
I think this is a great wee story for kids in the winter time and I would recommend it to readers of The Snow Child also.

[Nick Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

A truly magical if somewhat slight tale much in the vein of Checkov. Most enjoyable, and presented in juxtaposition to Eowyn Ivey's The Snow Child one can only feel that the magic of this tale does much to counterpoint the lack of magic in the other. The framing is also far more positive so that even though the outcome should most probably be read as far sadder here one feels more uplifted at the end when thinking of life in the real world than one does in Ivey's version.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet little Russian story with a moral. It isn't too sad as the little snow daughter returns to her parents, Jack Frost and ... I can't remember. Anyway, it was cute and short enough for a bedtime story with a little preaching. :)

[L Campagnola · Rating 3 out of 5]

This well known Russian tale has a sad ending. We prefer the version where the girl doesn't melt.

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the retelling of a classic Russian tale.
Wonderfully done and one of my favorite books.

[Nightshade · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is included in the back of The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. I really enjoyed reading it.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this retelling of the Snowmaiden, she is brought to life as a snow girl made by a childless couple, but she melts after her parents double cross the fox who brought her safely home after she was lost in the woods.