Thumbelina: Tiny Runaway Bride

By Barbara Ensor

HERE’S A CONTEMPORARY retelling of Andersen’s tale, revamped and fleshed out for today’s hip tweens. As she did in Cinderella (As If You Didn’t Already Know the Tale), Ensor re-imagines this classic, adding her own inimitable humor, flair, and stylish black-and-white silhouette spot illustrations. Thumbelina is that story most of us can’t quite remember. Okay, sure, it’s about a tiny girl just the size of your thumb. But did you know that her troubles (or adventures, if you prefer) begin when she begs her mother to let her sleep outside on the porch? And that in no time she is engaged to a frog, and then a mole, and even receives a proposal from a miniature king?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Dec 30, 2008
• ISBN: 9780307491916

Reviews for Thumbelina

[angelarenea-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a really fun version of Thumbelina. Written almost modern as though through the eyes of Thumbalina herself as a pre teen. A cute idea.

[jennybeast · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Basically just the regular thumbelina story repackaged for middle school girls -- there are a few changes, including her refusal to get married at the end that might be appealing to parents.

[merrymary_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A lovely retelling of an old Hans Christian Andersen tale. Thumbelina is a girl with an adventurous heart, and a quick instinct for survival. After many adventures, including nearly being married against her will to Mr. Mole and flying through a storm on the back of a swallow, she finds herself being wooed by a diminutive King of the Flowers. And....then what happens? The author takes us beyond the "happy ending" to another more realistic and altogether satisfying conclusion. Larger than average print, lovely black and white cutwork illustrations, narration that is simple without being simplistic; this is a superior book for your favorite child.