About this title: On her 15th birthday, a mermaid princess is given the ability to temporarily explore the world beyond the sea. On dry land, she falls in love with a handsome prince, but she can never see him again once she returns to the sea. But her love is so strong that the mermaid decides to do whatever it takes to return to the world of humans again. ...
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Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Modern Publishing
Date Published: 1992
ISBN-13:9781561440931ISBN:1561440930
Description: Very Good. No Jacket. Staple Bound, Ink Spot On Page Ends Throughout Book, Corners Lightly Worn, Text Appears Unmarked, Good Reading Copy. read more
"I don't know how to describe my sweet feelings about this story... It had a sad ending...but I have watched & read & listened to it several times... The faith,Passion & love are described in this story in the most beautiful way...."
"It would be hard to convince me that this isn't the most perfect illustrated version of The Little Mermaid ever. It is everything I could have ever hoped and imagined for this beautiful and tragic tale. The text is taken from a mid-nineteenth century English translation by Mary Howitt. Howitt was a contemporary and friend of H.C. Andersen as well as an author and poet in her own right. She wrote the famous poem The Spider and the Fly. Truth be told the text is extremely long and wordy for a picture book, but ultimately I found the prose to be elegant and engaging. Then there is Charles Santore's art - sensuous, ethereal, haunting with a sort of Art Nouveau aesthetic - in short the PERFECT fit for this story!
Most everyone knows the general gist of this story so I'll ditch the synopsis part of my review. What is noteworthy about this version is that while some small changes were made to the original version - "eliminating some brief passages of heavily detailed description and moralizing" (and good riddance to those I say!) - it is very faithful in the sense that it is a story of real sacrifice and tragedy with an ending that could be potentially unsettling to young readers.
I personally would have lost my mind over this book as a little girl! But better late than never! Highly, highly recommended!"
"The original tale is so much more than the Disney-fied version. Love. Sacrifice. Heartbreak. Striving. Hopeful. But not hopeful in a simple way. The hope is more pure. The mermaid's dearest desire is not for love of man, but for an immortal soul. A definite must-read."
"A hauntingly beautiful story paired with achingly gorgeous illustrations! I'm sorry to say that this is the first time I've read the "actual" story of the Little Mermaid, previously acquainted only with very general retellings and the Disney movie version (which is delightful in its way). This version purports to be closest to Andersen's original as it makes only slight adaptations from the mid-19th century translation by Mary Howitt, a correspondent and friend of Andersen who introduced his work to the English reading public. It is deeper, sadder, and more stirring than the happy-ever-after versions--indeed, this little mermaid not only seeks the love of the prince but the immortality that will be hers if she obtains it (otherwise, mermaids turn to seafoam after their three hundred year life!) Wow!!! Santore's illustrations are so beautiful! I snapped up this edition based on the cover art and am not disappointed by the rest of the illustrations!!! Some of the full-page spreads are so enchanting!
I'm not sure I'd recommend this version to most children. The complex plot point of immortality aside (which some parents may or may not wish to delve into!), the story is extremely wordy and long (I even put off reading it since I could read about seven regular picture books in time it took me to read this!) and some pages have only basic margin illustrations and the rest is all text. Also, parents should note that the mermaids in this version have none of the Disney G-rated seashells covering their breasts--usually there is a wisp of hair over the center area, but it could still be viewed by some as too risque for children. Also, some of the parts with the sea-witch might be a little too creepy for sensitive youngsters.
These parental cautions aside, I highly recommend this story to adults or older children seeking the "real" story of the Little Mermaid accompanied by artwork you will not soon forget!"
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