Customer Reviews

Hans Brinker

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Adapted from the classic novel by Mary Mapes Dodge, this exciting and intriguing book teaches valuable economics lessons related to scarcity, savings, and altruism. Interwoven throughout the book are three tales of two main characters with one overarching theme of poverty.

The first tale revolves around how Hans Brinker and his sister, Gretel, would like to compete in an important ice-skating race on one of Holland's canals, but they are too poor to afford nice skates like those of their competitors. The second story is about Hans and Gretel's sick father, his need for an operation, and the family savings that mysteriously disappeared at the time of the father's accident. The third story center's on the Dutch doctor who operates on the father without compensation and how this doctor has been searching for his missing adult son.

Acts of generosity are woven through these three intertwining tales, including the efforts of Hans and Gretel's friends to help them upgrade from their wooden skates to fancier, faster skates. Laurel Long's illustrations, based on oil paints on watercolor paper, are splendid and do a nice job illustrating some important features of Dutch architecture, culture, and society. This informative and beautiful book makes a fine addition to any collection of children's literature with themes in social studies and the humanities.

I wanted to introduce my seven year old to this great story and this illustrated edition lives up to the challenge! If you have an intermediate reader and want to make sure the illustrations will keep him/ her hooked on to the book go no further! The pictures in this book are wonderful and will delight any reader (young or old). Worth every penny.

A heart warming classic for children. Adults should review it's lessons of love and caring.

The drawings are beautifully done and it does help give some insight into Holland as a country and that time in history (beautiful costuming). I feel the story is for at least 5 year olds and over who can distinguish it is a story, particularly that the father becomes ill. Younger than that it might frighten- this could happen to my daddy. It's great for the current attention to "bullying" and has a good moral. I gave it to my 5 year old grandson but saved it till next year for my 4 year old.

This is a book that I loved as a child and read several times. A great story about a boy and his wooden skates, in a challenge to triumph over all. It made me feel so good about Hans, that I felt good about myself. For those children who don't have much, you CAN accomplish anything you set your mind to.