Title: Andersen’s Witch
Author: Jane Yolen
In: Under my Hat (Jonathan Strahan)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy, Witches
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: It gives the boy ideas above his station.

Yolen explores the tale of the Snow Queen and Hans Christian Andersen in this brilliant spin on witches, fairytales and love.

I love Hans Christian Andersen – at least, I love the stories that I can remember. And this is a great take on his life and death, with a bit of a twist to The Ice Queen.

I love stories that take facts, people, history and turn it on its head. Especially when the story actually feels remarkably plausible. Andersen’s Witch gave a plausible and enjoyable look into Andersen’s early life and rise to fame.

Yet, this story is truly about a child’s love and the innocence and purity that they bring to a person’s life. Ultimately, it is this that helps Andersen to beat the Ice Queen and inspires the well-known story that we all know and love.

Image source: Frances Hardinge