cover image Thumbelina

Thumbelina

Hans Christian Andersen, Brad Sneed. Dial Books, $17.99 (40pp) ISBN 978-0-8037-2812-7

The larger-than-life adventures (relatively speaking) of Hans Christian Andersen's Thumbelina unfold in Brad Sneed's illustrations. Tiny Thumbelina endures abductions by frogs, a beetle, a mouse and a mole before finding her soul mate. Sneed's animals are often grotesque (as befits their personalities) yet emotionally expressive, though the human characters come across less so. .