Thumbelina

From the moment of her magical birth, Thumbelina sees the world from a different perspective—because she’s no bigger than a grown-up’s thumb. Then her life takes an adventurous turn when she is kidnapped by a toad! Thereafter, Thumbelina must fend for herself in a world where a blade of grass is like a tree to her, and she’s pursued by suitors that include a horrible toad, a bumbling beetle, and a grumpy mole.
Fortunately, Thumbelina’s courage and kindness will help her find the perfect home and a true love who fits her just right.
In sumptuous watercolors with a delightful dash of humor, Brad Sneed’s adaptation of Thumbelina pays affectionate homage to the classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen.

Booklist- Hans Christian Andersen’s tale of a thumb-size girl forcibly betrothed to a series of forest creatures is strange, vaguely sinister, and perennially fascinating, and Sneed’s interpretation reflects all these qualities. His text cleaves closely to the original, tracing Thumbelina’s journey from the clutches of a calculating mother toad, a greedy beetle, a demanding mouse, and a mole with marriage on the mind. His dramatic watercolors don’t sweep the story’s cautionary aspects under the rug; the slightly distorted compositions and striking chiaroscuro effects amplify the threats Thumbelina encounters and deepen the relief when the happy ending arrives. Point out the lighthearted portrait of Andersen on the last page; children will be amused by the emphasis Sneed places on the storyteller’s famously large nose. Pair this with Brian Pinkney’s recent version featuring sunnier art and an African American Thumbelina, to discuss the range of interpretations that can spring from a single evocative source. -Jennifer Mattson