The Young Hans Christian Andersen (review)

It seems fitting to portray the childhood of Hans Christian Andersen in storybook form, and Hesse and Blegvad here combine art and text to do just that. Moments from Andersen's youthful years (from birth to his embarkation for Copenhagen at fourteen) fill brief, titled chapters, each themed and named for one of Andersen's tales; pages are framed, bordered, and illustrated in the style of a traditional children's reader or fairy-tale collection. Some sections figuratively connect to one of the author's tales (In "The Ugly Duckling," Andersen's physical awkwardness fuels ridicule); other sections portray possible story inspirations (Andersen's father points out a frosty window image in "The Ice Maiden"). Hesse's prose is lyrical and wandering, offering wordplay that is sophisticated in concept and expression ("He carried his genius like a slender bottle of champagne, its silent fizz stopped up"). The text portrays the emotions and trajectory of Andersen's youth effectively, focusing on mood over biographical detail, with an afterword that further summarizes his life. Veteran Andersen illustrator Blegvad offers small but detailed line-and-watercolor illustrations, ranging from very precise and tidy ink-lined scenes to more casual, free-form spot art. Pair this with Yolen's The Perfect Wizard (BCCB 2/05), or compare Andersen's original writings with these representatively titled chapters, to deepen kids' perspective on a familiar and beloved author. A bibliography and illustrator's note are included.