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The Snow Queen

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The Snow Queen
by Naomi Lewis
Illustrated by Christian Birmingham
New York, Scroll Press; 2007; 32 pages

Naomi Lewis and Christian Birmingham have teamed up to create, what I think, must be one of the best versions of The Snow Queen to date. Lewis’ lyrical retelling of the story has all the important details from the original tale. Nothing has been left out. Birmingham’s soft as snow artwork brings the tale to life in beautiful perfection. The wintry Snow Queen is depicted as fittingly beautiful but empty of color or emotion, whereas young Gerda is painted in the warm colors of spring, bringing life to every painted landscape she visits. Just as she does in the story. This version is slightly longer than your average picture book, so very young readers might have trouble sitting still through a complete reading, but anyone else, old or young, will have their breath taken away by this fabulous retelling of a beloved tale.
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