Breadcrumbs [Hardcover]

Anne Ursu (Author), Erin McGuire (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: September 27, 2011 | Age Range: 8 and up | Lexile Measure: 720L (What's this?)

A stunning modern-day fairy tale from acclaimed author Anne Ursu

Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. But that was before he stopped talking to her and disappeared into a forest with a mysterious woman made of ice. Now it's up to Hazel to go in after him. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," Breadcrumbs is a story of the struggle to hold on, and the things we leave behind.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 4-8-Hazel and Jack were friends, once upon a time. The games they played demonstrated rich imaginations and kindred spirits. Then Jack got a sliver of a magic mirror in his eye and his heart grew cold. Soon he was snatched away by an evil woman in a sleigh into a strange magical world where snow and cold abound-a place where his frozen emotions seem perfectly at home. Does Hazel have the heart to risk everything to find her friend and bring him back? In Anne Ursu's book (Walden Pond Press, 2011) we find a creepy, compelling homage to Hans Christian Andersen in a story based on "The Snow Queen." Vibrant threads from other Andersen stories are woven into the tale, creating a brilliant tapestry. There are also references to both classic and modern fantasy tales, showing that all are related. The underlying theme of friendship that is constant and true, sacrifice, and choosing reality over fantasy is beautifully written. Kirby Heyborne reads without background noises or musical embellishment, allowing the story to stand on its own so that listeners can enjoy its rich language and gentle messages.-Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary, Federal Way, WAα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Review

“Devastatingly brilliant and beautiful...Ursu has sculpted a rich and poignant adventure that brings readers deep into the mysterious, magical, and sometimes frightening forests of childhood and change. Breadcrumbs is one of those rare novels that turned me on my head then sat on my heart and refused to budge.” (Ingrid Law, Newbery Honor-winning author of Savvy )

“This is a lyrical book, a lovely book, and a smart book; it dares us to see stories as spreading more widely, and running more deeply, than we had imagined.” (Gary Schmidt, Newbery Honor-winning author of The Wednesday Wars )

Like a fairy-tale heroine, Hazel traverses the woods without a breadcrumb trail to save a boy who may not want to be saved in this multi-layered, artfully crafted, transforming testament to the power of friendship. (Kirkus Reviews (starred review) )

The creepy fantasyland that Hazel traverses uses bits from other Andersen tales to create a story that...is beautifully written and wholly original. It’s certainly the only children’s fantasy around where Minnesota Twins All-Star catcher Joe Mauer figures into the plot. (Publishers Weekly (starred review) )

The evocative magical landscape, superbly developed characters (particularly dreamy, self-doubting, determined Hazel and lost Jack), and the piercing sadness of a faltering childhood friendship give this delicately written fantasy wide and lingering appeal. (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review) )

2011 NPR Backseat Book Club (Featured Selection )

“Wonderfully distinct, delightfully told and destined for a long life on the shelf.” (The Wall Street Journal )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Walden Pond Press; 1 edition (September 27, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062015052
• ISBN-13: 978-0062015051
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (117 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #139,916 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 57 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars For Your (Geeky) Inner Child September 21, 2011

By Kelly (Fantasy Literature) TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Hazel and Jack have always been best friends, bonding over their shared love of science fiction and fantasy. They play make-believe "superhero baseball" and hang out in a derelict house they call the Shrieking Shack. But now that they're eleven, Hazel's mom is pushing her to make some female friends, and Jack is more interested in hanging out with his male friends than with Hazel. Then the impossible happens: Jack is taken away by a mysterious witch, and Hazel is the only one who can rescue him. Anne Ursu's Breadcrumbs is a retelling of the fairy tale "The Snow Queen," and it's fantastic.

Ursu perfectly captures what it's like to be a child of about eleven, just on the cusp of puberty but not there yet. You're old enough to know that believing in magic is considered childish, but you don't want to live in a world without it. Social cliques are shifting, sometimes for no discernible reason, and you feel the loss of friendships without ever knowing what went wrong. And maybe your parents get divorced (Hazel's), or maybe they're suffering from a mental illness (Jack's), or even if none of that happens, you're starting to realize they don't have all the answers. Or they don't have the answers you want to hear, or they seem to be answering a subtly different question from the one you're asking. Ursu uses a delicate touch with the familial issues; the book never feels like a Very Special Episode About Divorce or anything like that. Instead, the issues are woven seamlessly into the kids' lives along with their fantasy geekdom.

Later, when Hazel ventures into the realm of fairy tales, she learns that it contains many dangers that "would have been beautiful, as a story." She encounters a variety of odd folk and situations, all drawn not just from fairy tales but from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales in particular. (This was when I finally processed the fact that the heroine's name is "Hazel Anderson"!) She's offered several different kinds of oblivion; the challenge is to press onward even when peaceful forgetfulness would be easier, and to help people along the way if she can. Even if Hazel can find Jack, he may not want to be rescued; maybe he wanted the Snow Queen's brand of oblivion.

Always present, too, is the possibility that Hazel might save Jack from the immediate physical danger but still lose him emotionally. My favorite example of this theme has long been that penultimate transformation in Patricia McKillip's Winter Rose, but now Breadcrumbs is going right up there with it.

Erin McGuire's illustrations are a treat, too. The ARC only has some of the drawings, but they are gorgeous and I can't wait to see the rest. And I adore the cover: the woods, the wolves, and scrappy little Hazel looking just like she's described in the text.

This is a beautifully written book -- and intelligently written, too. Ursu never talks down to her audience in terms of vocabulary or metaphor. Kids will enjoy this, especially kids who are introspective and bookish like Hazel herself, but I think it may actually be even more enjoyable for adults. This isn't so much a book for children as it is a book about childhood, meaningful for readers of all ages. I'm in my thirties and I loved Breadcrumbs. It took me right back to when I was Hazel's age and dealing with some of the same heartaches she was going through. I recommend Breadcrumbs to anyone who is a geeky kid... and anyone who has ever been a geeky kid.

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Review from The Book Monsters September 20, 2011

By Kate B. VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Breadcrumbs... oh, how I wish I could write a song to your beauty. I have never really been a fan of middle grade type novels. The characters often are hard to relate to. Sometimes, they are annoying or not my cup of tea.

Anne Ursu, you have forever changed my opinion of middle grade books. Or at least spoiled me.

Hazel, our MC, was perfect. Not the perfect fit. Not the girl who just runs with the crowd. This girl dances to her own tune. And I loved her for it. For her awkwardness. Her imagination. For most of the novel, I just wanted to jump in and give her a hug. Tell her I understand what it means not to fit. It was like I was reading about my own childhood. Gosh, it was painful to read sometimes. But I loved it at the same time.

Breadcrumbs is like a cup of hot cocoa. It warms you body and soul. Making you want to believe in magic. Believe in the beauty of a snowy day. The snowflakes falling. Each with their own personality. Ursu gives you this imagery. Makes it come to life. Completely transporting me into this tale. Words cannot give justice to the amazement I felt after reading this book. I loved every moment of it. And will be looking forward to more from this gifted author.

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely wonderful retelling of The Snow Queen September 27, 2011

By Karissa Eckert TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

I got a copy of this book through Around the World ARC tours. I saw the premise of this book and the wonderful cover and absolutely had to read it as soon as I could. It was an excellent book. It is kind of a retelling of The Snow Queen fairy tale, but on top of that it is so much more.

Hazel is a dreamer and loves adventure. Hazel's best friend is Jack and together they have the most fabulous adventures. Then Jack stops talking to Hazel and one of Jack's friends tells Hazel that he saw Jack leave with a woman made of ice. Now Jack is gone and Hazel has to make a choice. Should she grow and do normal girl things like her mother is pushing her too? Or should she follow her imagination and try to save Jack from the ice woman?

There are a million things I loved about this book. The writing is beautiful and the descriptions done in such a way that all of the settings come alive for the reader. Hazel is an absolutely wonderful character she is struggling with her dad having left her and her mom; she is struggling with fitting in at a traditional school (she used to go to a creative arts school). The best thing about Hazel though is that she is not afraid to be herself; the problem she has is that she isn't willing to compromise to fit in with other people...as a result her classmates have trouble understanding her.

There are numerous references to geeky fantasy culture things; lots of Harry Potter references along with a number of other references to classic fantasy literature. I enjoyed these a lot. There are parts of the story that made me laugh out loud and were very fun; for example superhero baseball. Jack and Hazel create a fun world of their own and as a reader, it is a world you wish you could live in.

The second half of the book is more serious as Hazel ventures into the woods and is forced to face a number of people who seem nice, but end up being pretty evil. Hazel's quest to rescue Jack teaches her a lot about herself and a lot about growing up. Parts of this book are a little sad because Hazel learns that as she grows there are certain things she will have to leave behind; I think all of us see that as we get older and it is always a bit sad. Jack's background is also a bit sad, he has a mother that is suffering from severe depression and the book talks some about Jack having to deal with that.

There is some magic in the book but the majority of this story is about friendship and growing up. The characters throughout are quirky and interesting. Hazel's journey through the woods is where most of the magic takes place and even there it is more like magical realism than right out magic. The whole story has a fairy tale feel to it, but is still very modern. There is beautiful artwork throughout the book as well (most of the artwork wasn't in the ARC yet but the artwork I did see was breathtaking and really added to the story).

Of course the book takes place in my home state of Minnesota and I love that. Ursu has done an excellent job capturing Minnesota winters and the adventure that driving through them can provide.

Overall I loved everything about this book. I loved the characters, the writing, the description, the story, all the quirky reference to fantasy literature, and the lessons Hazel learns throughout. I will definitely be reading anything that Ursu writes in the future. I just love this book so much! If you are a fan of fantasy adventure or fairy tales pick up this book as soon as it releases! The book might get a bit scary for younger children, but in general it is appropriate for all ages.