Abstract
Reviewed by: Hans Christian Andersen: The Journey of His Life by Heinz Janisch Elizabeth Bush Janisch, Heinz Hans Christian Andersen: The Journey of His Life; tr. from the German by David Henry Wilson; illus. by Maja Kastelic. NorthSouth, 2020 [48p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780735843882 $18.95 Reviewed from digital galleys R 5-8 yrs Janisch employs an engaging and largely effective framing story in this picture book biography of the beloved Danish writer. Seven-year-old Elsa boards a coach with her mother and, bored by the long journey, strikes up a conversation with their aged fellow passenger, who introduces himself as a writer and is happy to entertain her with a requested story. She's soon immersed in his tale of a poor boy named Hans, whose father read him fairy tales and then died from war injuries, leaving the boy with no clear path to pursue his dream of becoming a performer. By fourteen Hans had struck out on his own for the big city, and through talent and perseverance and more than a little annoying assertiveness, found the mentors and benefactors who launched his career as a writer. Elsa handily figures out Hans' connection to her companion and asks Andersen to explain whether he is also the source of the main characters in his authored fairy tales, and he observes how his own life influenced themes in some tales but played no real role in others. In her art, Kastelic melds the [End Page 25] text layers, shifting among soft watercolors of the coach ride, sepia-toned memories of Andersen's childhood, and vividly hued compositions recalling vintage fairy tale illustration for references to Andersen's stories. Tales featured are those likeliest to have reached this picture book's young audience, such as "The Ugly Duckling," "The Princess and the Pea," and "The Emperor's New Clothes," making this title a welcome extension for readers in the know or a guide to further reading for children starting to explore the classics. An author's note is included. Copyright © 2020 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
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