The Steadfast Tin Soldier [Paperback]

Tor Seidler (Adapter), Hans Christian Andersen (Author), Fred Marcellino (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

A retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen story, with new illustrations.The story of a one-legged tin soldier who loves a paper ballerina from afar is "beautifully set in a wintry [Copenhagen] of a hundred years ago. A handsomely designed book that respects the integrity of a favorite tale while giving it a fresh new interpretation." -- K. "A terrific story, well told and beautifully illustrated." -- BL. "The art illuminates the story in ways to which the simple language cannot aspire." -- NYT.

1992 Books for Youth Editors' Choices (BL)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The masterful pastel illustrations that distinguished the artist's Caldecott Honor-winning Puss in Boots transform yet another timeless tale into a modern classic. This graceful retelling of Andersen's touching story of true love between a malformed toy soldier and a paper ballerina is charged with both romance and heroism. Alternating perspectives achieve striking visual effect--toys and animals loom large as seen through the stoic vision of the brave soldier; at other points during his perilous journey he appears as a mere sliver of blue and red amid the city's bustle. The soft glow of candlelight imparts a shadowy warmth to the interior scenes, which feature a gaggle of handsomely turned out children admiring their Christmas bounty. Seidler's ( A Rat's Tale ; The Tar Pit ) polished prose perfectly complements the artwork: "The tin soldier was so touched that he would have shed tin tears--if he hadn't been in uniform. As it was, he just looked at her, and she looked at him, neither of them saying a word." Though perfect for the holiday season, this exquisite book may well stay on the shelf year-round. All ages.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (October 24, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062059009
• ISBN-13: 978-0062059000
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,273,332 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THIS STORY MADE ME CRY AS A CHILD, December 17, 2000

By 

BeatleBangs1964 (United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Steadfast Tin Soldier (Hardcover)

A little boy had a set of tin soldiers that were made from a melted spoon. One soldier was missing a leg because there was not enough metal left over from the melted spoon.

Tossed aside by the boy, the one-legged soldier sees a paper cut out figure of a ballerina. She is poised on one leg and he feels an instant bond. He has found another one-legged toy and believes this to be love.

The steadfast tin soldier has a series of mishaps. He falls off the window sill into a stream. From there, he is transported to a rat infested sewer. He is swallowed by a fish and through an unlikely stroke of luck, winds up back in the boy's playroom with the other toys and the ballerina.

The ending is what gets to me every single time. A gust of wind lifts the paper ballerina up and she flutters into the fire place, winding up a charred heap of ashes. Devastated, the tin soldier joins her. The remaining metal that was once the tin soldier is a charred piece of heart shaped metal.

I still think this is a very sad story. The photographs really emphasize the feeling this story evokes.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great book!, November 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Steadfast Tin Soldier (Paperback)

I taught 1st grade for 4 years and all of the teachers in my grade passed this book around at Christmas to read to our class. I cried everytime I read it. It has a wonderful message and my kids in my classroom always loved it! I have now (finally) purchased my own copy of this book to read to my little girl. It is a classic and I know she will love it as much as I do. Every home should have this book to read at Christmastime.

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Christmas story-Unaltered, September 10, 2011

By 

mom from cleveland - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Steadfast Tin Soldier (Hardcover)

The Steadfast Tin Soldier is one of my favorite holiday stories. There are very few illustrated versions of it that I'm aware of-And this, in my opinion, is the only one worth purchasing. The pictures speak to you... they are exactly what one would imagine if there were no pictures at all, and just words. It's a shame that this book was so hard to find. The ending is unaltered-A sad one (for those "Pollyannas" out there)-but it is still a wonderfully written story. You will not be disappointed should you purchase this book.