Description
The luminous art of three-time Caldecott Honor recipient Jerry Pinkney transforms the nineteenth-century Danish girl of Andersen’s tale into a child plucked straight from America’s melting pot, shedding new light on the invisibility of the poor among the prosperous – a circumstance as familiar in Andersen’s day as it is in our own.
Freezing cold and unable to go home for fear that her father will beat her, the poor little match girl huddles in a corner between two buildings. As the chill sets into her bones, she lights a match for warmth. The match sparks visions of a better life – filled with blazing fires, warm food, and loving families – and the little girl cannot resist lighting match after match to keep the images coming.
