The Tinderbox [Hardcover]

Stephen Mitchell (Adapter), Hans Christian Andersen (Author), Bagram Ibatoulline (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 13, 2007 | Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

From the creators of THE NIGHTINGALE, an exquisite edition of another Hans Christian Andersen classic tale of dark adventure

"Left, right! Left, right!" A soldier is marching home from war when he meets a witch who says, "What a fine sword you have, and what a big knapsack! Now I’ll show you how to get as much money as you want." Fortune is fleeting for the soldier until he learns the secret of the witch’s tinderbox and her three eerie dogs, each with eyes bigger than the last. With each strike of the flint, a dog materializes to grant him his wish, and the soldier doesn’t hesitate to take advantage of this gift — at a high cost to the kingdom. Spun with wit and clarity, Stephen Mitchell’s wonderfully fresh retelling is paired with Bagram Ibatoulline’s richly detailed illustrations, creating a stunning collectible edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Dismayed that tales of wonder and magic are set in foreign lands and distant times," Moser has chosen to ignore all but the skeletal plot of Andersen's original story and to rewrite it making use of American characters and settings and a mellifluous Southern voice for the narration. Andersen's hero becomes Yoder Ott, a Confederate soldier on his way home from the Civil War; the old witch is changed into a wily mountain man and the princess is the henpecked mayor's beguiling daughter, Elvira Abernathy. Most mysterious are the large-eyed dogs, which in Moser's rendering are both realistic and wonderfully magical at the same time. With characteristic clean lines and rich paintings, the book's design is as splendid as its recast story. Moser's work breathes new life into an old classic, from its arresting cover to its satisfying ending. All ages.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2–5—The soldier may be handsome and the princess lovely, but the old witch and the three giant dogs along with the beautifully developed settings really create the superb fairy-tale ambience of this robust telling of Andersen's tale. Ibatoulline's finely hatched pen drawings, washed in muted tones, resemble lithographs and have an appropriately old-fashioned look. His wide double-page scenes include broad vistas of the mountainous countryside with far-off palaces and close-up views of characters and actions. Mitchell's faithful retelling is a bit verbose at times, but Andersen himself tended to be wordy. The scraggly witch is quite wonderful, but of course she comes to a quick end. "So he cut her head off. Her body fell to the ground, and her head fell beside it." This is not a tale for the faint of heart, but it's a rich rendering of the durable, intriguing classic.—Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (February 13, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763620785
• ISBN-13: 978-0763620783
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 0.4 x 11.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,288,838 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful rendition of Anderson's tale, November 26, 2001

By 

Regina Doman - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tinderbox, the (Hans Christian Andersen) (Hardcover)

Whoever reviewed this book in "editorial" needs to have their eyes examined. Grotesque watercolors? Inept humor? What are they talking about? This is the FIRST version of the Tinderbox by H.C. Anderson, one of my favorite fairy tales that I've really found to be pleasing. The three dogs with humoungous eyes are delightfully fantastic, and the hero and heroine well rendered. The more bloodthirsty and amoral elements of the tale are changed (ie: the soldier doesn't lop off the witch's head but instead traps her in a deep pit) to its improvement, IMHO. Warhola's watercolors are cheerful, fairly realistic, quite appropriate for the lighthearted and rambunctious story.
A great introduction to an exuberant tale for the young, especially for boys. It's not a wimpy fairytale by any means, even if there is a princess and kissing at the end. Warhola and Thompson do a commendable job. Should be reprinted!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazon, you've got the wrong reiews attributed to this book!, November 30, 2007

By 

C. Olson (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tinderbox (Hardcover)

This version of THE TINDERBOX is engaging and lovely. The illustrations are captivating and the storytelling wonderful. For some reason, the reviews Amazon has posted list Moser as the author and puts the story after the Civil War. I don't know which book they're referring to, but it's NOT this one.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not a Book for Young Children or Anyone Else, March 19, 2009

By 

J. Wolff (Twin Cities, MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tinderbox (Hardcover)

I would not recommend this book. It is very violent and not for anyone under age 13. There are several capricious murders and a general glorification of wealth. First, the killing of the witch is a gruesome surprise that I caught just before I read that sentence to my four year old. The witch had just provided the soldier the means to be wealthy and he cuts off her head when she never even threatened him, rather she just asked him to keep his end of the bargain by giving her the tinderbox. He basically murders her for a tinderbox that he doesn't know at that point of the story is magical. That would be like killing someone for a box of matches. Also, when the soldier has money, he is happy and has friends. When he is runs out of money, his friends leave him and all he can think about is how do I get more money. Finally, the king and queen are murdered and their daughter the princess takes it all in stride and immediately marries the man who killed them, whom she has never met. Not a good message - a really bad fairy tale book with absolutely no moral other than "might makes right".

The only people this book that might enjoy this book are Hans Christian Andersen enthusiasts.