The Hero of Bremen [Hardcover]

Margaret Hodges (Author), Charles Mikolaycak (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Retells the German legend in which a shoemaker who cannot walk helps the town of Bremen, aided by the spirit of the great hero Roland.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The late Mikolaycak's stirring art graces the pages of this eloquent retelling by Hodges ( The Kitchen Knight ; Saint Patrick and the Peddler , Children's Forecasts, Aug. 23). The double-tiered plot centers on Hans, a courageous cobbler whose legs are not strong enough to support him. Moving along on his knuckles and knees, the good-natured fellow is a friend to everyone in town--particularly to the children, with whom he shares tales of Roland, the brave knight who died helping his uncle, Charlemagne, free the town of Bremen. Now Bremen needs help again, for its population is growing and cannot be contained within the city walls. How Hans--against great odds--becomes the hero of the land, with the wondrous intervention of the hero of his legends, makes a grand, memorable tale. Micolaycak, using watercolors on diazo prints made from pencil drawings, meticulously crafts his period illustrations, an inspired complement to Hodges's adroit storytelling. However, the book design detracts from the visual impact of the art--spread across facing pages, the pictures inauspiciously lose details to the gutters. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-6. This moving legend within a legend tells of Hans the Cobbler, a disabled shoemaker who loves to share stories about Roland, the famous knight who saved the walled city of Bremen during the Dark Ages and who, according to Hans, will come again in time of need. The citizens of the overcrowded city need more land and hope to buy some from a wealthy countess whose nephew offers to sell them "all the land that a man can walk around in a day." But then he picks Hans to be that man. With the help of the hero Roland, who appears to Hans and stops time, the humble shoemaker is able to complete his journey, crawling on "knuckles and knee." As usual, Mikolaycak's realistic watercolor and colored pencil drawings have powerful lines, sculptural forms, and a strong narrative quality. Inspired by the varnished sixteenth-century paintings of Hans Holbein, the architectural and costume details establish the Renaissance setting. This eloquent retelling of a gentle, little-known tale honoring the chivalric virtues of service and sacrifice is all the more beautiful for its understated quality; the documentation is detailed and scholarly. A treat for reading aloud, this may lead middle-graders to stories about Roland, such as Jay Williams' prose version, The Horn of Roland (1968). Julie Corsaro

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 1 pages
• Publisher: Holiday House; 1st edition (September 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823409341
• ISBN-13: 978-0823409341
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,277,977 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars inspiring, September 26, 2011

By 

Pemberton1 - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hero of Bremen (Hardcover)

This lovely little book caught my eye because my husband's ancestors hail from Bremen. The story is based on a legend. It is a well-written, inspiring book. Hans Cobbler whose feet were of little use to him walks by dragging himself knuckles and knees through the city. In spite of his handicap he is a productive member of society who loves telling stories about the hero Roland to those who will listen. During the story Hans himself becomes a brave hero. I am a former teacher who used to ask my principal to read the story aloud to my students because I always became tearful when I read it. It tugged on my heartstrings. I highly recommend this book.

4.0 out of 5 stars Colorful, January 26, 2010

By 

Heather Andrew (Corona, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hero of Bremen (Hardcover)

I think that Margaret Hodges wrote the book very colorfully and very well. The pictures were great. They were very bright and I liked them.

I think it was put together very well and there was a good meaning to the story, which is that it doesn't matter what shape and size a hero is.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Weak, August 21, 2009

By 

J. Grambo "Teacher" (Indiana, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hero of Bremen (Hardcover)

I am not a fan of Margaret Hodges' style of retelling stories, but I saw this at a book sale and picked it up because I like the original German legend that it is from. Unfortunately, this retelling did not give the story its usual sense of miraculous wonder.
Intended for grades 3-6.