OXFORD READING TREE:TREETOPS GREAT STORIES LEV 17 THE SNOW QUEEN CHRIS BAKER

My 9 year old read this book for school and asked me to get her a copy. She loves it.

It's originally a Hans Christian Anderson tale, and while it's a quest involving an evil device, it doesn't quite go the way you expect it to, so it was a good read. I like the quote on the back that says it more succinctly than I could, "A poignant tale that pits winter's chill against the warmth of friendship."The story indeed seems to focus more on friendship and personal struggles than on good vs evil, and while some characters are clearly disposed toward decency (Gerda and Kai), there are others who are conflicted. And one particular princess who is neither good nor evil in the usual sense, but a silly nuisance who poses her own danger. I think that was part of what was fun about this book--delving into the various characters like Granny and the Princess who don't fall into the usual binary split of good/evil, as well as the magical elements like a supersonic reindeer (lacking a red nose, alas) and seeing things far off through a fire. And see if you can figure out the enigmatic crow, which Mr. Baker admits he can't precisely figure out himself but just felt as an author that he should be there. (I liked the crow and have my own explanation for him.)