The Steadfast Tin Soldier

By Hans Christian Andersen

Book Overview

With her signature warmth and lyricism, Newbery winner Cynthia Rylant has crafted a new version of the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale about a tin soldier who falls in love with a ballerina. As in the original story, the tin soldier's love for the beautiful ballerina is thwarted by a goblin. The tin soldier is separated from the other toys and washed down a sewer, where he encounters a rat and gets swallowed by a fish, but somehow, against all odds, he manages to end up back home only to be cast into the nursery fire. Rylant adds her own twist to the end of the tale, however, for in this version, the tin soldier and the ballerina are melded to each other, rather than melted, in the heat of the fire, so they'll never be parted again. Rylant's expert storytelling paired with Corace's stunning illustrations create a beautiful, unforgettable tale of everlasting love. Praise for The Steadfast Tin Soldier STARRED REVIEW "Rylant preserves the story's character-building insistence on the soldier's decorum throughout his ordeal. At the same time, the sight of him in his dress uniform, bayonet at the ready, lodged upside down in a garden bed or lying patiently in the belly of the huge fish will make readers smile." -- Publishers Weekly , starred review "Gracefully written... The book's large format gives plenty of scope for Corace's distinctive illustrations, precise ink drawings brightened with watercolor, gouache, and acrylic paints. Sometimes brilliantly colorful and sometimes more subdued, the scenes can be crowded with dozens of toys or other visual elements, but they show up well from a distance. The subtle depictions of the goblin and his shadow are particularly fine. A softened vision of the literary fairy tale." -- Booklist "The distinctive illustrations capture both the story's melodrama and playful appeal, such as when two boys salute the tin soldier as his newspaper boat speeds along the fast-moving gutter stream. This spirited retelling reinvigorates this classic tale." -- School Library Journal "Rylant is an appealing storyteller, and though she lets the soldier stay "forevermore" with the little dancer, that romantic outcome may suit those who find the Dane's bittersweet ending hard to bear." --HornBook "Corace uses a largely pastel-color palette to match the author's words. Mixed media flesh out the story. Their work together provides a powerful presentation in this oversize picture book. This is an excellent choice to compare with other versions of the classic tale." -- Library Media Connection

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 141970432X
• ISBN13: 9781419704321
• Release Date: March 2013
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.5" x 0.5" x 10.5"
• Age Range: 5 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Kindergarten to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

One tin soldier...

I bought the book to read at our Christmas gathering. The book I received still has the back envelope with the names and stamped dates on the card of previous readers, so that made it a pleasant surprise. What made this especially memorable was when my daughter tried to read it out loud she had to stop because she became emotional reading the story of the poor tin soldier. Now that's how a story should be.

My children's favorite book

Loved it just as much as 50 years ago when I was a little girl and then read it to my own children. I had a audio story tape read by Jeremy Irons that came with the book then but I can't find a tape or CD of him reading it to purchase anywhere. His voice is perfect for the story. Anyone know where I can get it?

Classic tale, well told

This book tells the classic tale of the one-legged tin soldier who falls in love with a paper ballerina. The soldier suffers a series of misadventures, including being placed at the helm of a doomed paper boat, being chased by a rat, and swallowed by a fish. It's a wonderful tale that will hold older children spellbound. The illustrations are delightful. All told, the book has about 2000 words.

THIS STORY MADE ME CRY AS A CHILD

A little boy had a set of tin soldiers that were made from a melted spoon. One soldier was missing a leg because there was not enough metal left over from the melted spoon.Tossed aside by the boy, the one-legged soldier sees a paper cut out figure of a ballerina. She is poised on one leg and he feels an instant bond. He has found another one-legged toy and believes this to be love.The steadfast tin soldier has a series of mishaps. He falls off the window sill into a stream. From there, he is transported to a rat infested sewer. He is swallowed by a fish and through an unlikely stroke of luck, winds up back in the boy's playroom with the other toys and the ballerina.The ending is what gets to me every single time. A gust of wind lifts the paper ballerina up and she flutters into the fire place, winding up a charred heap of ashes. Devastated, the tin soldier joins her. The remaining metal that was once the tin soldier is a charred piece of heart shaped metal.I still think this is a very sad story. The photographs really emphasize the feeling this story evokes.

great book!

I taught 1st grade for 4 years and all of the teachers in my grade passed this book around at Christmas to read to our class. I cried everytime I read it. It has a wonderful message and my kids in my classroom always loved it! I have now (finally) purchased my own copy of this book to read to my little girl. It is a classic and I know she will love it as much as I do. Every home should have this book to read at Christmastime.

Brilliant! Improves on the original version.

This is a really good book. It has all the characteristic's that made the original a cherished and remembered fairy tale. It is a great gift for any young child, and can be enjoyed by adults too. It maintains the feel of the original tale, but is more like a poem. The art work on each page is beautiful, and the pictures are totally devine. I would recomend buying this for a different and fully enjoyable version of the original.