Have you ever heard the tale of Thumbelina as told by Hans Christian Andersen? Have you ever seen the cartoon movie Thumbelina released in 1994 by 20th Century Fox? Well, even if you have read the book or seen the movie, you don't know the story. Thumbelina, Tiny Runaway Bride tells the tale very close to Anderson's version which he heard from a passing swallow. We follow Anne Marie as she wants a baby and visits a witch to hear her plea. We follow Thumbelina as she grows up and begins dreaming of adventures. And then we follow Thumbelina as she goes on her adventure, meets the toad, the mouse, the mole. Only in this version, we actually to get to read Thumb's diary entries and letters to her mother (which have been magnified so that we needn't squint to read them). We also find out what really happened at the end of the story. Andersen was wrong. The Epilogue continues the tale as it really happened.Excerpt from the epilogue:
Exactly at this moment, the original story of Thumbelina ends.
Look.
THE END.
Now you know exactly what happened and can write a book report, if you need to do that, or count this as part of your summer reading list. Nobody will mind if you just close the book and DO NOT READ ANOTHER WORD.
But to tell you the truth, there is something more.
This was a really cute book. I have not read Andersen's version of the story but I absolutely love the cartoon movie and can sing along with all of the songs. I even have Let Me Be Your Wings on my computer by Barry Manilow (which just saying it causes me to need to play it... it's so sweet and soothing). I think that Barbara Ensor must have known little Thumb in order to get this story so accurate. Although there were pictures throughout the book, I couldn't help but imagining the cartoon versions of each character in the scenes instead of the illustrated versions. This book is definitely more appropriate for young readers (I plan to show it to my 7 and 8 year old cousins), but it can be enjoyed by all readers if they can just believe in the magic that brings Thumbelina to life.
A-Z Challenge
completed - *Ensor, Barbara - Thumbelina, Tiny Runaway Bride*
upcoming reviews - *Eclipse - Meyer*
*Breaking Dawn - Meyer*
currently reading *Fredericks, Mariah - The True Meaning of Cleavage*
1 comment:
1. I told you so.
2. I've read The True Meaning of Cleavage and liked it, but don't remember much because it was something like 5 years ago.
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