Synopsis
The famous fairy tale, in which a mermaid offers her beautiful voice--and risks her immortality--for a chance to win a human prince's love, is illustrated in full color by the artist from The Secret Garden.
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Reviews
Grade 3-6-A romantic interpretation of the classic tale. Hague has illustrated this traditional translation with jewel-toned paintings, depicting scenes of the little mermaid and her sisters in their underwater palace; the frightening realm of the hideous sea witch; the prince's storybook kingdom; and the ethereal forms of the daughters of the air. The illustrations, one to a page, vary in size from the first magical, full-page view of the Sea King's palace to the final, starlit glimpse of the lovely little mermaid smiling farewell to her beloved prince. Edward Frascino's pictures in Eva Le Gallienne's translation (HarperCollins, 1971; o.p.) feature a cartoonlike mermaid, and Chihiro Iwasaki's art in Anthea Bell's translation (Picture Book Studio, 1991) is more abstract. This new edition is a worthy purchase for all collections.
Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
No matter how often it's retold, no matter how many illustrators tackle it, Andersen's classic tale of the lovelorn mermaid never grows stale. Unlike the sanitized Disney version, the original isn't particularly cheerful: the mermaid loses not only her voice, but also her prince and her life (although she's given a reprieve in the form of a chance to earn an immortal soul). It is, however, exquisitely written--richly layered, evocative, and full of hope, pain and yearning. Hague's Rackham-esque style suits the intense emotions of the prose; his slightly muted palette seems an extension of Andersen's imagination, capturing as it does the filtered half-light of the mysterious undersea world thronged with exquisitely sinuous merfolk. At once lavishly detailed and fanciful, his illustrations distill the haunting beauty of the century-old story, a story as fresh today as the day it was penned. All ages.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Gr. 4-6, younger for reading aloud. This fine translation of Andersen's fairy tale first appeared in Michael Hague's Favorite Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales (1981). Hague's picture-book version is a colorful collection of undersea life--glittering fish, sparkling ocean flora, and merpeople with pearly tails float from page to page as the Little Mermaid pursues her impossible love. That the pictures do not always accurately reflect the text and that the faces of the characters are less graceful than their forms will go unnoticed by young readers captured by the romance of the subject at hand. The Little Mermaid's ultimate tragedy is foreshadowed by dark stormy seas and Andersen's own telling language. Parents may have to be warned that this is the antithesis of Disney, with a sad, if foregone, conclusion. Janice Del Negro
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Other Popular Editions of the Same Title
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The Little Mermaid
Seller: New Legacy Books, Annandale, NJ, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
hardcover. Condition: Good. Hague, Michael (illustrator). There is a signature or handwriting on the inside front cover. Fast shipping and order satisfaction guaranteed. A portion of your purchase benefits Non-Profit Organizations, First Aid and Fire Stations! Seller Inventory # 5FSZKH000H2Q
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The Little Mermaid
Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. Hague, Michael (illustrator). Good condition. Good dust jacket. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included. Seller Inventory # O12G-01778
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The Little Mermaid
Seller: ThriftBooks-Reno, Reno, NV, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Hague, Michael (illustrator). Missing dust jacket; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0805010106I3N01
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The Little Mermaid
Seller: ThriftBooks-Reno, Reno, NV, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. Hague, Michael (illustrator). May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0805010106I4N00
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The Little Mermaid
Seller: ThriftBooks-Reno, Reno, NV, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Hague, Michael (illustrator). Former library book; Missing dust jacket; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0805010106I3N11
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The Little Mermaid
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Hague, Michael (illustrator). Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0805010106I3N10
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The Little Mermaid
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. Hague, Michael (illustrator). Former library book; Missing dust jacket; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0805010106I4N11
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The Little Mermaid
Seller: ThriftBooks-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. Hague, Michael (illustrator). May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0805010106I4N00
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The Little Mermaid
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Hague, Michael (illustrator). Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0805010106I5N00
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The Little Mermaid
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. Hague, Michael (illustrator). Missing dust jacket; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0805010106I4N01