The Snow Queen and Other Tales (Hardcover)

by Marie Ponsot (Translator) "THE CHILDREN, warm in hooded fur coats and high fur-lined boots, tramped slowly over the snowy woodland..." (more)
Key Phrases: steely teeth, snow girl, snow queen, Baba Yaga, Godfather Drosselmayer, Mouse King (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Golden Books (October 24, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307202054
• ISBN-13: 978-0307202055
• Product Dimensions: 12.9 x 9.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,597,297 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Dream Come True, September 2, 2002

By	Nina Malischev "malischev" (The State of Northern California) - See all my reviews

I also loved this book as a child in the 60's. I checked it out of the library until it finally disappeared from the stacks and I could no longer get it. As an adult, I searched for this book for years, finally finding it through an out of print book service and paying about $$$ for it. I was thrilled to have it, but unfortunately in the years since it had been printed, the lovely, dreamlike colors in the illustrations had faded, losing much of their emotional intensity. I am absolutely thrilled that this book has finally been reissued. It is a "must-have" for anyone who loves fairy tales or appreciates the art of illustration- in fact, as a working artist, I have to credit Adrienne Segur's work with inspiring me as a child to keep drawing. And if you are a ballet fan, this is a true representation of the rather creepy, very dark original tale of the Nutcracker, not the dumbed-down saccarine version fed to kids today. This is one of the best children's books, ever.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A perfect gift for the holidays!, April 9, 2003

By	Cassie Knight "Girl Of The True West" (Barbary Coast , United States) - See all my reviews

The Snow Queen and other Tales is the perfect companion to The Golden Book of Fairy Tale Classics. The illustrations by Arienne Segur are amazing. These are the sort of books one does'nt see anymore with a definate "old world" feel to them. Indeed both volumes were not available for many years. But now they are at such an amazingly low price (these are hardbacks and large ones) there is simply no excuse.
The tales: Andersen's The Snow Queen, Baba Yaga and several other Russian fairytales are wonderful to read aloud and alone. With the added treat of Hoffmann's The Nutcracker they have strong appeal for the Christmas season.
As a child I received The Fairy Tale volume and a schoolmate was given The Snow Queen. My mother tried in vain to find a copy for me but they were sold out. This was Christmas 1966 for years I tried to locate it, no luck...until a week ago I was poking around on Amazon and ther it was! I recieved by copy a few days.
Let me say that this is beautiful, beautiful book! I cannot recommend it highly enough. If you a small person in your life buy it for them, if you love folk and fairy tales or know someone that does purchase it by all means! Heck! get a copy for yourself!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best, May 8, 2002

By	G. O'Toole "where did all these kid's come from?" (New England) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Like the sister book, "The Golden Book of Fairy Tales", this collection of fairy stories, with their ethereal illustrations, is magical. I had been read the aforementioned fairy tale book as a child in the early sixties, and the haunting stories and (especially) illustrations have stayed with me all my life. It is Adrienne Segur, whose artwork exemplifies perfection, that bring these old Russian winter tales to life. This book is perfect for a child at Christmas - the stories evoke snow and frosty enchantment. Along with the keystone chapters of "The Snow Queen", I found "Melito's Soul" to be heartfelt and spiritual, and the full (finally !) telling of "The Nutcracker" by Alexander Dumas in this anthology to be excellent. Good fairy tales are contained in countless volumes, but what sets this book,(and the fairy tale book) apart, is the artwork. Segur's full-color paintwork and sketches have a whimsy and charm that are otherworldly; her skill and detail display a rare talent by any standard. My two little daughters (and in a few years, my son) will now be able to dream these tales thru Adrienne Segur's eyes and imagination, and I am glad to be able to enrich and enchant their lives, as mine was as a child.