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okollie's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Truly my first 5 star read of the year! I read this book as a kid and I loved it a lot. As I read it these past few weeks, I remembered bits and pieces but was absolutely blown away by how incredible every word felt. It was magical and surreal but also grounded in the universal truth that is the experience of growing up. It strikes a balance I continually strive for and I want to hand this book to every fifth grader I know, and adults too!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Blood, Mental illness, Animal death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit
gmamartha's review
3.0
Modern day fairy tale, using many references to those classics we know. True show of bravery and friendship.
agmcculloch1's review
4.0
An excellent mother-daughter read with my 10-year old. The author captures the tension of the middle grades perfectly, from shifting gender lines to the value placed on being accepted. As a book club, diving into some of the fairy tales that were woven into the story made for rich discussin.
unremi's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Pretty much your basic fantasy book to help elementary age kids get through losing their friends to other friends. I think I was above the demographic age for the book.
misspippireads's review against another edition
3.0
I fell in love with the cover and the title when this book first appeared on the shelf. I knew it would be about fairy tales, and retold tales is one of my preferred genres. Sadly, this book did not meet my expectations. I expected Hansel and Gretel with trails of crumbs in the woods, but it's about friends instead of siblings, snow and ice instead of a candy cottage. It's a retelling of Andersen's Snow Queen. (I plan to go and re-read his original story.)
The text was deep and thoughtful, so I would recommend this story for older elementary students. Hazel struggles with fitting into her new school and overcoming being alone. This storyline can help loners, but it might also drag them down depending on their mood. She does overcome her alone-ness and fights for her friend, Jack, who appreciates being saved from the Snow Queen.
Kirby Heyborne narrated Breadcrumbs. As the story unfolded, I appreciated Heyborne's talent. At the beginning, his different characters blended together for me, but as more characters were introduced his voices broadened. I would listen to another audio by Heyborne.
Reviewed from a library copy.
The text was deep and thoughtful, so I would recommend this story for older elementary students. Hazel struggles with fitting into her new school and overcoming being alone. This storyline can help loners, but it might also drag them down depending on their mood. She does overcome her alone-ness and fights for her friend, Jack, who appreciates being saved from the Snow Queen.
Kirby Heyborne narrated Breadcrumbs. As the story unfolded, I appreciated Heyborne's talent. At the beginning, his different characters blended together for me, but as more characters were introduced his voices broadened. I would listen to another audio by Heyborne.
Reviewed from a library copy.
roseleaf24's review
5.0
Usually when a book gets a lot of credit for the lyrical language, it ends up being a book I'm not particularly fond of (Chime, The Underneath I'm looking at you). Ursu's writing, though, is on the spectrum of phenomenal writing somewhere in between those almost-poetry books and Rick Riordan. I kept interrupting my husband to read him some sections, like:
"Jack had moved in next door when she was six. She liked him right away because he replaced the girl who'd lived there before, a four-year-old who was always trying to convince Hazel to come ot her tea parties, where no talking was allowed. Plus he was wearing an eye patch. Hazel's six-year-old self was sorely disappointed when she found out that he didn't actually need one, but she quickly learned it was the wearing one that really mattered. This was a secret truth about the world, one they both understood."
LOVE. This book has not just language that is so beautiful, so flowing, with such perfect touches of humor, but it has the characters and the plot that others have left me lacking. This modern retelling of Hans Christian Anderson's "The Snow Queen" captures beautifully the haunting nature of Anderson's fairy tales. They exist somewhere between the fantasy and the real, creating an uncertainty and an unsettling atmosphere. I never rested easy for these characters, and remain somewhat unsure how much was fantasy and how much was the characters' imagination.
I've read a lot of children's, middle grade, and young adult fiction, both realistic and fantasy, and I've read a lot of books that I felt did an excellent job of capturing the inner mind of a child. Ursu blew them all out of the water. The awkwardness I felt at this age was so clearly and perfectly depicted here. I don't have Hazel's reasons for not feeling like I fit in, but I could identify completely with her discomforts and wanted it to all work out for her.
This book ended up on my to-read list because it popped up in Newbery possibility discussions frequently last year. I don't often question the Newbery choice, even if I'm surprised or dislike the winner out of personal preference, but this is by far the most distinguished book of the contenders that I've read.
"Jack had moved in next door when she was six. She liked him right away because he replaced the girl who'd lived there before, a four-year-old who was always trying to convince Hazel to come ot her tea parties, where no talking was allowed. Plus he was wearing an eye patch. Hazel's six-year-old self was sorely disappointed when she found out that he didn't actually need one, but she quickly learned it was the wearing one that really mattered. This was a secret truth about the world, one they both understood."
LOVE. This book has not just language that is so beautiful, so flowing, with such perfect touches of humor, but it has the characters and the plot that others have left me lacking. This modern retelling of Hans Christian Anderson's "The Snow Queen" captures beautifully the haunting nature of Anderson's fairy tales. They exist somewhere between the fantasy and the real, creating an uncertainty and an unsettling atmosphere. I never rested easy for these characters, and remain somewhat unsure how much was fantasy and how much was the characters' imagination.
I've read a lot of children's, middle grade, and young adult fiction, both realistic and fantasy, and I've read a lot of books that I felt did an excellent job of capturing the inner mind of a child. Ursu blew them all out of the water. The awkwardness I felt at this age was so clearly and perfectly depicted here. I don't have Hazel's reasons for not feeling like I fit in, but I could identify completely with her discomforts and wanted it to all work out for her.
This book ended up on my to-read list because it popped up in Newbery possibility discussions frequently last year. I don't often question the Newbery choice, even if I'm surprised or dislike the winner out of personal preference, but this is by far the most distinguished book of the contenders that I've read.
mehsi's review against another edition
4.0
Let's just say that the blurb, is somehow right, and somehow not. :)
I expected immediate fantasy and a search throughout a forest that is enchanted. Instead, we get about 50% before that happens stuff, filled with just friendship, friendship breaking, a wonderful girl with too much imagination and snow. After all that, we get a beautiful search throughout the woods.
I have to say I really liked Hazel, though her insecurity irked me a bit and also her obsession with Jack. I can imagine you want him as your best friend, but he should also be able to have other friends, without you being jealous as hell. She clung to him like he was a life vest and she was drowning. I wish we had more of Hazel and that other girl. I really liked those parts and how they were doing ballet and stories and more.
Hazel was a wonderful girl, though again, I wish she would open more to people. And also do her best on school. I know girl, you want to go to your fancy school with apparently no rules, but you won't go there any more, unless of course your mom finds the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, so the best is to do your best and make do.
With the whole contemporary part over, we dive head first in the fantasy part. Mysterious woods not far from her house, and Jack has been kidnapped. She takes the bare minimum with her (for a girl with imagination and book-knowledge, I would expect she would know what to bring) and goes on the journey. She meets strange people, people stuck forever in the forest, girls lost, witches and evil creatures, and last but not least, the witch that stole Jack. And let me say this, I was surprised by this witch.
But I loved the journey, and I was glad when like a lot of these books it had a HEA.
One thing though, I wish we had a little bit less referencing going on. I had to search things at times and that distracts from reading the book.
But in overall, a fun and lovely book. Really recommended to all. :)
I expected immediate fantasy and a search throughout a forest that is enchanted. Instead, we get about 50% before that happens stuff, filled with just friendship, friendship breaking, a wonderful girl with too much imagination and snow. After all that, we get a beautiful search throughout the woods.
I have to say I really liked Hazel, though her insecurity irked me a bit and also her obsession with Jack. I can imagine you want him as your best friend, but he should also be able to have other friends, without you being jealous as hell. She clung to him like he was a life vest and she was drowning. I wish we had more of Hazel and that other girl. I really liked those parts and how they were doing ballet and stories and more.
Hazel was a wonderful girl, though again, I wish she would open more to people. And also do her best on school. I know girl, you want to go to your fancy school with apparently no rules, but you won't go there any more, unless of course your mom finds the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, so the best is to do your best and make do.
With the whole contemporary part over, we dive head first in the fantasy part. Mysterious woods not far from her house, and Jack has been kidnapped. She takes the bare minimum with her (for a girl with imagination and book-knowledge, I would expect she would know what to bring) and goes on the journey. She meets strange people, people stuck forever in the forest, girls lost, witches and evil creatures, and last but not least, the witch that stole Jack. And let me say this, I was surprised by this witch.
But I loved the journey, and I was glad when like a lot of these books it had a HEA.
One thing though, I wish we had a little bit less referencing going on. I had to search things at times and that distracts from reading the book.
But in overall, a fun and lovely book. Really recommended to all. :)
anamustacho's review
3.0
Actual rating is 3.5stars
The title made me wonder if it was a retelling of Hansle & Grettle. It is not, not quite.
The story reminded me of many fairytales I read as a kid with multiple mentions of Narnia.
I am certain there is more to the story than meets the eye. But I am not analysing this right now.
Some topics & my key take aways:
- middle grade reading / 11 year olds
- depression
- letting go / friendships come and go
- Indian, adopted protagonist
- gore and creepy creatures and hardships
- kidnapping
- separated parents
- bullying
- hint of suicide without explixity mentioning it
The title made me wonder if it was a retelling of Hansle & Grettle. It is not, not quite.
The story reminded me of many fairytales I read as a kid with multiple mentions of Narnia.
I am certain there is more to the story than meets the eye. But I am not analysing this right now.
Some topics & my key take aways:
- middle grade reading / 11 year olds
- depression
- letting go / friendships come and go
- Indian, adopted protagonist
- gore and creepy creatures and hardships
- kidnapping
- separated parents
- bullying
- hint of suicide without explixity mentioning it
velveteen_rabbit's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0