Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
HarperCollins
Description
"Hazel and Jack are best friends until an accident with a magical mirror and a run-in with a villainous queen find Hazel on her own, entering an enchanted wood in the hopes of saving Jack's life" -- Provided by publisher.
User reviews
LibraryThing member pacey1927
I wasn't aware this was a middle-school book until I started reading it. I guess I didn't look closely at the cover or read the blurb well enough. It is a blessing that I didn't notice it was geared to 8-12 year old children or I never would have read it. This ended up being the mostly lovely story
The story is loosely based on the famous fairy tale "The Snow Queen". I have read a couple of books based on it lately but two years ago I had never even heard of it. In this story, Hazel is best friends with Jack. He did something for her one time that proved how strong he valued her friendship. Nothing could come between the two of them...until something does. Something changes in a day's span and Jack is suddenly mean to Hazel. Everyone tells her these things happen, friendships change as people grow. Maybe, thinks Hazel, but not to her and Jack. Then Jack disappears from school and the story everyone is told doesn't make sense.
What would Hazel do to save Jack? Is she willing to go through the danger to get back a Jack who may not even want to be her friend anymore? But its her Jack, so Hazel backs up her backpack and takes off through the woods on a quest to save Jack from the Snow Queen who is holding him in her icy world. But the beautiful, amazing things that happen to Hazel along the way are truly to be savored. Each story is touching and important as they teach Hazel more about herself, her family, and her friend. Especially charming and even heartbreaking is the story about a teenage boy who is taking care of his younger sister. And then there is a run-in with the poor little match girl. And a couple who seem like perfect parents.... I could go on and on.
Throughout the book, Hazel mentions her favorite adventures, such as the Harry Potter World or Alice in Wonderland. I can't help but think this story could almost hold its own right there with those tales. I certainly found young Hazel to be more compelling and endearing than Alice any old day. This is a girl who follows her heart but also uses her head. She is aware of when her actions hurt people, even if its moments after she has made a mistake.
I cried at the end of this book. Had tears dropping from my eyes. And I intend to shove this book at my 12 year old son and force him to read it. Then when he is done I will compose a list of other children I must introduce to this book. It is that good. It touched my heart and proved that there are certainly no ice shards in there.
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one could imagine. It features a unique and amazing main character named Hazel who is very aware that she doesn't fit it. She is imaginative and beautiful and adorable. Her voice is clearly unlike any other's I've read through the years. I just wanted to hug her and bring her home to live with me. She felt that real.The story is loosely based on the famous fairy tale "The Snow Queen". I have read a couple of books based on it lately but two years ago I had never even heard of it. In this story, Hazel is best friends with Jack. He did something for her one time that proved how strong he valued her friendship. Nothing could come between the two of them...until something does. Something changes in a day's span and Jack is suddenly mean to Hazel. Everyone tells her these things happen, friendships change as people grow. Maybe, thinks Hazel, but not to her and Jack. Then Jack disappears from school and the story everyone is told doesn't make sense.
What would Hazel do to save Jack? Is she willing to go through the danger to get back a Jack who may not even want to be her friend anymore? But its her Jack, so Hazel backs up her backpack and takes off through the woods on a quest to save Jack from the Snow Queen who is holding him in her icy world. But the beautiful, amazing things that happen to Hazel along the way are truly to be savored. Each story is touching and important as they teach Hazel more about herself, her family, and her friend. Especially charming and even heartbreaking is the story about a teenage boy who is taking care of his younger sister. And then there is a run-in with the poor little match girl. And a couple who seem like perfect parents.... I could go on and on.
Throughout the book, Hazel mentions her favorite adventures, such as the Harry Potter World or Alice in Wonderland. I can't help but think this story could almost hold its own right there with those tales. I certainly found young Hazel to be more compelling and endearing than Alice any old day. This is a girl who follows her heart but also uses her head. She is aware of when her actions hurt people, even if its moments after she has made a mistake.
I cried at the end of this book. Had tears dropping from my eyes. And I intend to shove this book at my 12 year old son and force him to read it. Then when he is done I will compose a list of other children I must introduce to this book. It is that good. It touched my heart and proved that there are certainly no ice shards in there.
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LibraryThing member satyridae
Wendy recommended this one to me, and it's rare that a Wendy recommendation doesn't knock me out with either its goodness or its awfulness. This one, though, this one crawled into parts of me my conscious mind has no access to and stirred. I was entirely uncomfortable, scratchy and thick the whole
There's not much about this book I can talk about coherently. I can say that I loved the literary allusions throughout. And the snow was done very well. The uncle, I liked the uncle. The rest of it? The rest of it is stomping around in my subconscious, doing god only knows what.
Stars? What have stars to do with this? Oh, hell, I dunno. 4? Okay. 4.
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time I was reading it. There were echoes and reverberations. I mostly think I hated it except it won't leave me alone, so I guess I didn't hate it exactly. There's not much about this book I can talk about coherently. I can say that I loved the literary allusions throughout. And the snow was done very well. The uncle, I liked the uncle. The rest of it? The rest of it is stomping around in my subconscious, doing god only knows what.
Stars? What have stars to do with this? Oh, hell, I dunno. 4? Okay. 4.
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LibraryThing member hrose2931
**Sigh** I'm in love with a book. No- not a guy in a book- the story, the writing, the characters, the words, everything about it. I just want to curl with it and hug it like an old friend. And Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu is an old friend wrapped in new words and around new tellings of favorite old
First, there is the heroine. Yes, that's right. no hero here. There is Hazel. Hazel has a best friend named Jack who has been her best friend since they were six. They have crazy incredible imaginations. With Jack, Hazel would mount her scooter and joust with plastic swords like knights. When it was so hot one summer they actually thought they might melt, they filled the baby pool with ice, begging some from neighbors and then lay in it getting numb and pretending to melt with the ice. They even found an abandoned shack near the woods that they called a palace, a fort, even a Shrieking Shack. With Jack, Hazel could be herself. She is brave and strong. She is loyal even when loyalty appears not to be deserved. She is courageous and determined. All of these character traits come in handy when it comes to dealing with a teacher who doesn't appreciate her learning style and classmates who don't understand her. And when she has to find Jack when he stops talking to her one day and then disappears. The word "impossible" is not in her vocabulary. And she is second only to "Evie" from Paranormalcy by Kiersten White as my strongest and favorite female character. No, she doesn't fight, this is MG, remember. She uses her brain. I haven't read enough Middle Grade literature to make a comparison of her to anyone in MG lit but if she had to kick butt, she'd kick any fairy tale princess' butt up and down Happily Ever After Lane and make it home for dinner!
The narrative style is also unique in comparison to the fairy tales I grew up with. No unseen narrator telling the story. Most of it is told through Hazel's point of view, third person. We get to see and feel and hear her think. And her thinking is very interesting. We get to know her early on so we know further on in the story that she isn't going to do what anyone else would do, she thinks outside the box. Here's an example of how she sees things. After seeing the school counselor, Hazel's mother wants to make sure Hazel knows there is nothing wrong with her. "Listen to me. There is nothing wrong with you. Got it?" And Hazel nods and could think "yeah, sure whatever." But instead thinks, "They were plastic flowers of words-but they looked nice on the surface." (p. 142) I know what she means, but not many kids in fifth grade would be smart enough to figure it out. Only the truth is, there isn't anything wrong with her. She's just different and different is good in my book. Other narrations include Jack in third person narrative in a few chapters and then the unseen narrator steps in for a few chapters as well just to move things along.
Anne Ursu's command of the written word is amazing. It's poetic. It's lyrical. It breaks your heart and keeps you going even when you want to stop. The words are so pretty that it actually took me a week to read Breadcrumbs, lulling me to sleep with it's rhythmic phrases and fairy tale images-wolves, woodsmen, dancing shoes, kindly strangers, match girls and cold. To quote the story again, "It was the sort of story your mother told you before she tucked you in at night and you would sigh and think of the...tragedy of it all. It would have been beautiful..." (p. 206)
I read the ARC of Breadcrumbs thanks to the publisher and K. at Walden Pond Press. This in no way influenced my review of Breadcrumbs. That being said, I'll be ordering my own copy of Breadcrumbs when it is published. One, because the ARC has blank pages of promised artwork to come and I definitely don't want to miss that! And two, because this is one of those books that is to be shared. I will put it on my special shelf (the one high in my closet that I have to ask my husband to reach) so that when my kids need to feel like a kid again or I do or when I have grandchildren waaaay down the line, I can share this book with them. It's enchanting, entrancing, and an absolute must read for fairy tale lovers of all ages. It's about growing up, friendship and going on. And it's sure to be a classic!
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fairy tales I grew up reading and cherish still. They were always like a warm blanket to me, familiar, yet slightly different, depending on who wrote them, every one's version just a little different. There were no Disney versions when I was a child and don't expect the Disney version with Breadcrumbs. I wouldn't even call it a fairy tale. It goes way beyond that.First, there is the heroine. Yes, that's right. no hero here. There is Hazel. Hazel has a best friend named Jack who has been her best friend since they were six. They have crazy incredible imaginations. With Jack, Hazel would mount her scooter and joust with plastic swords like knights. When it was so hot one summer they actually thought they might melt, they filled the baby pool with ice, begging some from neighbors and then lay in it getting numb and pretending to melt with the ice. They even found an abandoned shack near the woods that they called a palace, a fort, even a Shrieking Shack. With Jack, Hazel could be herself. She is brave and strong. She is loyal even when loyalty appears not to be deserved. She is courageous and determined. All of these character traits come in handy when it comes to dealing with a teacher who doesn't appreciate her learning style and classmates who don't understand her. And when she has to find Jack when he stops talking to her one day and then disappears. The word "impossible" is not in her vocabulary. And she is second only to "Evie" from Paranormalcy by Kiersten White as my strongest and favorite female character. No, she doesn't fight, this is MG, remember. She uses her brain. I haven't read enough Middle Grade literature to make a comparison of her to anyone in MG lit but if she had to kick butt, she'd kick any fairy tale princess' butt up and down Happily Ever After Lane and make it home for dinner!
The narrative style is also unique in comparison to the fairy tales I grew up with. No unseen narrator telling the story. Most of it is told through Hazel's point of view, third person. We get to see and feel and hear her think. And her thinking is very interesting. We get to know her early on so we know further on in the story that she isn't going to do what anyone else would do, she thinks outside the box. Here's an example of how she sees things. After seeing the school counselor, Hazel's mother wants to make sure Hazel knows there is nothing wrong with her. "Listen to me. There is nothing wrong with you. Got it?" And Hazel nods and could think "yeah, sure whatever." But instead thinks, "They were plastic flowers of words-but they looked nice on the surface." (p. 142) I know what she means, but not many kids in fifth grade would be smart enough to figure it out. Only the truth is, there isn't anything wrong with her. She's just different and different is good in my book. Other narrations include Jack in third person narrative in a few chapters and then the unseen narrator steps in for a few chapters as well just to move things along.
Anne Ursu's command of the written word is amazing. It's poetic. It's lyrical. It breaks your heart and keeps you going even when you want to stop. The words are so pretty that it actually took me a week to read Breadcrumbs, lulling me to sleep with it's rhythmic phrases and fairy tale images-wolves, woodsmen, dancing shoes, kindly strangers, match girls and cold. To quote the story again, "It was the sort of story your mother told you before she tucked you in at night and you would sigh and think of the...tragedy of it all. It would have been beautiful..." (p. 206)
I read the ARC of Breadcrumbs thanks to the publisher and K. at Walden Pond Press. This in no way influenced my review of Breadcrumbs. That being said, I'll be ordering my own copy of Breadcrumbs when it is published. One, because the ARC has blank pages of promised artwork to come and I definitely don't want to miss that! And two, because this is one of those books that is to be shared. I will put it on my special shelf (the one high in my closet that I have to ask my husband to reach) so that when my kids need to feel like a kid again or I do or when I have grandchildren waaaay down the line, I can share this book with them. It's enchanting, entrancing, and an absolute must read for fairy tale lovers of all ages. It's about growing up, friendship and going on. And it's sure to be a classic!
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LibraryThing member ahappybooker
Breadcrumbs is a charming and enchanting new novel by Anne Ursu. Billed as Middle Grade fiction, the lyrical writing and interesting mix of fantasy and reality will appeal to Young Adult and Adult readers alike.
Breadcrumbs is an emotional journey that follows Hazel as she navigates a dangerously
Hazel shone as the main character and her courage, loyalty, and fortitude were inspiring. I loved her whimsical nature, her willingness to trust her intuition as she faced some terrifying challenges and persevered through seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The way her character evolved throughout the story was wonderful. The quest that Hazel undertook was as much about self discovery as it was about the strength of friendship and Hazel learned something valuable with each step of the journey.
Within the story, there were nods to many other popular children’s tales such as Harry Potter and Narnia and of course, the Snow Queen which inspired this novel. These mentions made sense in the context of the story and I don't feel that they were overused at all.
This was an emotional and whimsical modern fairy tale with overtones of melancholy and nostalgia. This is one of those reads that stays with you long after turning the last page, a modern day classic. I would recommend this to readers of all ages and would go so far as to say that you will be missing out if you don’t have a copy of this on your shelf.
Breadcrumbs is an emotional journey that follows Hazel as she navigates a dangerously
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magical forest on her quest to reach the Snow Queen's lair and rescue her best friend Jack. One of the many things I enjoyed about Breadcrumbs is that it evoked such nostalgic memories of my own childhood. There is an almost natural separation that happens in boy/girl friendships at a certain age and Ursu highlights this with such poignancy that it is beautiful to read.Hazel shone as the main character and her courage, loyalty, and fortitude were inspiring. I loved her whimsical nature, her willingness to trust her intuition as she faced some terrifying challenges and persevered through seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The way her character evolved throughout the story was wonderful. The quest that Hazel undertook was as much about self discovery as it was about the strength of friendship and Hazel learned something valuable with each step of the journey.
Within the story, there were nods to many other popular children’s tales such as Harry Potter and Narnia and of course, the Snow Queen which inspired this novel. These mentions made sense in the context of the story and I don't feel that they were overused at all.
This was an emotional and whimsical modern fairy tale with overtones of melancholy and nostalgia. This is one of those reads that stays with you long after turning the last page, a modern day classic. I would recommend this to readers of all ages and would go so far as to say that you will be missing out if you don’t have a copy of this on your shelf.
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LibraryThing member BookAddictDiary
Even as an adult, I've had something of a weakness for fairy tale re-tellings. There's something about the innocent magic of childhood stories that, despite the lack of depth or characterization or anything beyond a basic story, is just charming. That same sense of childhood magic, innocence and
Breadcrumbs, at its heart, is a retelling of the classic fairy tale "The Snow Queen." But this time, a young girl named Hazel must save her best friend Jack from a mysterious woman in the woods who is made of ice. Hazel, unlike most fairy tale damsels, runs off to save the boy.
There were some things about Breadcrumbs that made the book soar for me, and other things that just didn't quite work. First, Ursu is a fantastic writer, much of the lovely prose sang off the page and came alive to me. The characters are somewhat simple, but that just works here.
However, some sections of the book felt a little disjointed to me, and somewhat confused in the overall plot. While I didn't completely dislike the "side stories" -they were beautifully written and engaging little stories -it just seemed odd in the overall story. These strange side stories within the overarching story made it feel like Breadrcumbs was originally meant to be an anthology of short stories, but was later squished together into a novel.
Despite this, I can't dislike Breadcrumbs. It's a charming, adorable story that puts an interesting twist on a classic fairy tale that's good for something simple, sweet and not as dark as much of the other literature that's out there right now. A sweet, magical read.
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charm was woven through nearly every page of Breadcrumbs, the new middle grade novel from Anne Ursu.Breadcrumbs, at its heart, is a retelling of the classic fairy tale "The Snow Queen." But this time, a young girl named Hazel must save her best friend Jack from a mysterious woman in the woods who is made of ice. Hazel, unlike most fairy tale damsels, runs off to save the boy.
There were some things about Breadcrumbs that made the book soar for me, and other things that just didn't quite work. First, Ursu is a fantastic writer, much of the lovely prose sang off the page and came alive to me. The characters are somewhat simple, but that just works here.
However, some sections of the book felt a little disjointed to me, and somewhat confused in the overall plot. While I didn't completely dislike the "side stories" -they were beautifully written and engaging little stories -it just seemed odd in the overall story. These strange side stories within the overarching story made it feel like Breadrcumbs was originally meant to be an anthology of short stories, but was later squished together into a novel.
Despite this, I can't dislike Breadcrumbs. It's a charming, adorable story that puts an interesting twist on a classic fairy tale that's good for something simple, sweet and not as dark as much of the other literature that's out there right now. A sweet, magical read.
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LibraryThing member ref27
While I struggled briefly with Hazel's isolation from her classmates and cohort and her mother's and school inappropriate responses to it, I suspect this is my own fortune casting a shadow. The realistic beginning opening out into a fantasy world without the order or hierarchy of most fantasy
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landscapes sustains the slippery, treacherous terrain of Hazel's experience, highlighting how precarious happiness can be. The allusions are successful and not heavy-handed, and the essential story--of feeling an important friendship come unglued--is remarkably deft and relevant. Show Less
LibraryThing member schucke02648
similar in flavor to Narnia, not overly impressed with the story line.
LibraryThing member shelf-employed
This review refers to the audiobook version.
There is no shortage of glowing reviews for Anne Ursu's Breadcrumbs. Paying homage to several well-known and classic children's books, Ursu certainly knows how to turn a phrase. Betsy Bird of Fuse #8 recently wrote that "some children’s authors can load
Deeply thoughtful, this is a book without contractions. A book with words and thoughts and sentences measured, as the ticking of a clock – as the clock that ticks through 11-yr-old Hazel’s mind as she wanders numbly through the accursed woods.
The narration of Kirby Heyborne so perfectly catches the measured hopelessness of Hazel's ever-more depressing circumstances at home, and the eerie fatalism of the wood's inhabitants, that Breadcrumbs loses hope of attracting its targeted listeners, ages 8 and up.
The stated audience for this book is Grades 3-6. Hazel, the protagonist, is a 5th grader with the apparent sensibilities of a much older child. This is a very well-written and narrated blend of fantasy and realistic fiction. Its underlying theme of middle-school friendship notwithstanding, I believe that it will be most appreciated by an older audience.
There is no shortage of glowing reviews for Anne Ursu's Breadcrumbs. Paying homage to several well-known and classic children's books, Ursu certainly knows how to turn a phrase. Betsy Bird of Fuse #8 recently wrote that "some children’s authors can load
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a page with lines that cause you to stop and think and ponder for days at a time." Anne Ursu is one of these authors. A writer with a distinctive style.Deeply thoughtful, this is a book without contractions. A book with words and thoughts and sentences measured, as the ticking of a clock – as the clock that ticks through 11-yr-old Hazel’s mind as she wanders numbly through the accursed woods.
The narration of Kirby Heyborne so perfectly catches the measured hopelessness of Hazel's ever-more depressing circumstances at home, and the eerie fatalism of the wood's inhabitants, that Breadcrumbs loses hope of attracting its targeted listeners, ages 8 and up.
The stated audience for this book is Grades 3-6. Hazel, the protagonist, is a 5th grader with the apparent sensibilities of a much older child. This is a very well-written and narrated blend of fantasy and realistic fiction. Its underlying theme of middle-school friendship notwithstanding, I believe that it will be most appreciated by an older audience.
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LibraryThing member Juana7
Jack and Hazel are fifth graders who had always been best friends. They both enjoyed science fiction, fantasy and superheroes, and their games and adventures were constructed around the fantastic. But now that Hazel is eleven, her mom is encouraging her to branch out and make other friends, with
The language is very descriptive and occasionally seems forced, but by the end of the book, the language seemed very beautiful and I almost cried. It is a different kind of book with references to other works of fantasy. I enjoyed it very much.
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girls. Jack in his turn, begins hanging out more with boys and even joins in when the other boys begin teasing Hazel. Jack becomes more and more distant, until one day he goes off into the woods, meets up with a white witch, cold as ice, and disappears. It is up to Hazel, his only true friend, to find him. With only one change of clothes and two energy bars, she walks off into the woods in search of her friend where she encounters all kinds of strange magic. Lost and cold she meets up with many kind strangers who seem to want to help, but no one is as they seem, and no one can be trusted. Those who go into the woods, never come out. It is a place where children are turned into caged birds or beautiful garden flowers, dancers who can never stop. Wolves stalk her on the path, but determined, she continues the search for her lost friend. She finally comes to the palace of the ice queen and is led to Jack, who is slowly turning to ice. His heart is hardened and he is blue with the cold. Hazel has to try to warm him up and take him home. She succeeds in reaching him enough to get him to recognize her and begin to feel the cold. They make it out of the woods together, but they have changed. Still friends, things will be forever different.The language is very descriptive and occasionally seems forced, but by the end of the book, the language seemed very beautiful and I almost cried. It is a different kind of book with references to other works of fantasy. I enjoyed it very much.
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LibraryThing member kayceel
S says: Breadcrumbs is one of the best books ever! This time, instead of the boy saving the girl, the girl saves the boy from an evil snow queen that somehow convinces kids to come with her to her ice palace with "a heart to match." In almost every single fairytale, the boy saves the girl and it
I think people who like adventures, and snow, and witches would love this book.
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gets boring.I think people who like adventures, and snow, and witches would love this book.
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LibraryThing member bell7
Hazel and Jack are best friends, and have wild imaginations. Hazel can't imagine life without Jack - he gives her a place in the world. Other people - such as her mother and her teachers at the new school - are telling Hazel she needs to be more grounded, but what if stories are more powerful and
Though meant for a younger audience, some aspects of this reminded me of The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly in that stories come true in a dark sort of way. Ursu drops in "breadcrumbs" of references that I had a fun time looking for to fairy tales and fantasy stories, both new and old. Though the narrative strays at times into too self-conscious cleverness, this was an enjoyable story that will validate those who enjoy fantasy and fairy tales, not as escapism, but as something somehow true.
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run deeper than most people realize?Though meant for a younger audience, some aspects of this reminded me of The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly in that stories come true in a dark sort of way. Ursu drops in "breadcrumbs" of references that I had a fun time looking for to fairy tales and fantasy stories, both new and old. Though the narrative strays at times into too self-conscious cleverness, this was an enjoyable story that will validate those who enjoy fantasy and fairy tales, not as escapism, but as something somehow true.
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LibraryThing member nbmars
This wonderful modern retelling of “The Snow Queen,” (a fairy tale by author Hans Christian Andersen first published in 1845) is a touching and at times scary story about change and loss, and the challenging process of surviving them.
Hazel and Jack are each 11 years old, and have been best
One day out on the playground, Jack gets injured by a piece of enchanted mirror that falls from the sky. It was made by a demonlike creature, and it turned Jack’s heart to ice. He begins to be mean to Hazel, and then he disappears; he has gone off to live with an icy white witch called The Snow Queen. Hazel doesn’t think about how Jack has changed; she only knows that her friend needs to be rescued. She takes a backpack with some emergency items and Jack’s baseball, and heads into the enchanted woods to find the Snow Queen and get Jack to come back home with her.
In the woods, Hazel must overcome not only the fear of the unknown that awaits her, but a bunch of threatening characters from other fairy tales in what the author, in an interview, called “a sort of dark Hans Christian Andersen theme park.” Hazel has to summon all her reserves of courage and determination to get through the woods, which she does, in the name of friendship. But all of this is only the prelude to the real battle: getting Jack to want to come home.
Discussion: Like all fairy tales, this one uses magic metaphorically so that the story can be read and understood on multiple levels. Hazel has already seen Jack is changing before the magic mirror affects him; he wants to hang out with other boys more, and he is becoming “scratchy and thick,” which is Hazel’s way of characterizing the changes in her friend. Indeed, even the witch warns her that someday Jack will be a man: “you will not even know him, and he will only think of you with a passing smile.” But Hazel understands that already there have been many Jacks and many Hazels: “And maybe she wasn’t going to be able to know all the Jacks that there would be. But all the Hazels that ever would be would have Jack in them, somewhere.”
This is not all she learns on her journey, which forces Hazel to grow up as well. Most of what she learns has to do with the hazards of wanting something for yourself, without thinking about others. There will always be a cost. And some times what you think is your “heart’s desire” turns out much differently than you expected. She also learns there are some things she can never understand, but she must adapt to them anyway, because they are part of the world.
For the most part I loved the updating from "The Snow Queen," except for one change. In the original, the boy’s heart is restored when the tears of the little girl fall onto his chest and penetrate his heart, melting the lumps of ice and consuming the splinters of the mirror. In this update, Hazel cries, but it is only when Jack takes the baseball and squeezes it that he recognizes Hazel and the breakthrough is made. I thought the original better answered the question of how Jack escaped the spell on him, while also reinforcing the ties between the two children.
Evaluation: Yet another book that makes the point “the world isn’t always what we can see.” This lovely recasting of a fairy tale is intended for middle grade and up, but might be scary for the younger readers in that category.
Hazel and Jack are each 11 years old, and have been best
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friends since they were six. Hazel feels an obligation to be there for Jack now that his mother is suffering from depression. After all, when Hazel’s parents got divorced, Jack tried to cheer up Hazel by giving her his most prized possession – a baseball signed by Minnesota Twin MVP Joe Mauer. He also is her only friend at the public school she goes to now. Her father will no longer pay for her to go to her private school where creativity was valued; in the public school, the emphases on rules and memorization are so different that Hazel has trouble adjusting. In sum, Hazel, adopted from India, never feels like she fits in anywhere with her different looks and different interests except when she is with Jack.One day out on the playground, Jack gets injured by a piece of enchanted mirror that falls from the sky. It was made by a demonlike creature, and it turned Jack’s heart to ice. He begins to be mean to Hazel, and then he disappears; he has gone off to live with an icy white witch called The Snow Queen. Hazel doesn’t think about how Jack has changed; she only knows that her friend needs to be rescued. She takes a backpack with some emergency items and Jack’s baseball, and heads into the enchanted woods to find the Snow Queen and get Jack to come back home with her.
In the woods, Hazel must overcome not only the fear of the unknown that awaits her, but a bunch of threatening characters from other fairy tales in what the author, in an interview, called “a sort of dark Hans Christian Andersen theme park.” Hazel has to summon all her reserves of courage and determination to get through the woods, which she does, in the name of friendship. But all of this is only the prelude to the real battle: getting Jack to want to come home.
Discussion: Like all fairy tales, this one uses magic metaphorically so that the story can be read and understood on multiple levels. Hazel has already seen Jack is changing before the magic mirror affects him; he wants to hang out with other boys more, and he is becoming “scratchy and thick,” which is Hazel’s way of characterizing the changes in her friend. Indeed, even the witch warns her that someday Jack will be a man: “you will not even know him, and he will only think of you with a passing smile.” But Hazel understands that already there have been many Jacks and many Hazels: “And maybe she wasn’t going to be able to know all the Jacks that there would be. But all the Hazels that ever would be would have Jack in them, somewhere.”
This is not all she learns on her journey, which forces Hazel to grow up as well. Most of what she learns has to do with the hazards of wanting something for yourself, without thinking about others. There will always be a cost. And some times what you think is your “heart’s desire” turns out much differently than you expected. She also learns there are some things she can never understand, but she must adapt to them anyway, because they are part of the world.
For the most part I loved the updating from "The Snow Queen," except for one change. In the original, the boy’s heart is restored when the tears of the little girl fall onto his chest and penetrate his heart, melting the lumps of ice and consuming the splinters of the mirror. In this update, Hazel cries, but it is only when Jack takes the baseball and squeezes it that he recognizes Hazel and the breakthrough is made. I thought the original better answered the question of how Jack escaped the spell on him, while also reinforcing the ties between the two children.
Evaluation: Yet another book that makes the point “the world isn’t always what we can see.” This lovely recasting of a fairy tale is intended for middle grade and up, but might be scary for the younger readers in that category.
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LibraryThing member krau0098
I got a copy of this book through Around the World ARC tours. I saw the premise of this book and the wonderful cover and absolutely had to read it as soon as I could. It was an excellent book. It is kind of a retelling of The Snow Queen fairy tale, but on top of that it is so much more.
Hazel is a
There are a million things I loved about this book. The writing is beautiful and the descriptions done in such a way that all of the settings come alive for the reader. Hazel is an absolutely wonderful character she is struggling with her dad having left her and her mom; she is struggling with fitting in at a traditional school (she used to go to a creative arts school). The best thing about Hazel though is that she is not afraid to be herself; the problem she has is that she isn't willing to compromise to fit in with other people...as a result her classmates have trouble understanding her.
There are numerous references to geeky fantasy culture things; lots of Harry Potter references along with a number of other references to classic fantasy literature. I enjoyed these a lot. There are parts of the story that made me laugh out loud and were very fun; for example superhero baseball. Jack and Hazel create a fun world of their own and as a reader, it is a world you wish you could live in.
The second half of the book is more serious as Hazel ventures into the woods and is forced to face a number of people who seem nice, but end up being pretty evil. Hazel's quest to rescue Jack teaches her a lot about herself and a lot about growing up. Parts of this book are a little sad because Hazel learns that as she grows there are certain things she will have to leave behind; I think all of us see that as we get older and it is always a bit sad. Jack's background is also a bit sad, he has a mother that is suffering from severe depression and the book talks some about Jack having to deal with that.
There is some magic in the book but the majority of this story is about friendship and growing up. The characters throughout are quirky and interesting. Hazel's journey through the woods is where most of the magic takes place and even there it is more like magical realism than right out magic. The whole story has a fairy tale feel to it, but is still very modern. There is beautiful artwork throughout the book as well (most of the artwork wasn't in the ARC yet but the artwork I did see was breathtaking and really added to the story).
Of course the book takes place in my home state of Minnesota and I love that. Ursu has done an excellent job capturing Minnesota winters and the adventure that driving through them can provide.
Overall I loved everything about this book. I loved the characters, the writing, the description, the story, all the quirky reference to fantasy literature, and the lessons Hazel learns throughout. I will definitely be reading anything that Ursu writes in the future. I just love this book so much! If you are a fan of fantasy adventure or fairy tales pick up this book as soon as it releases! The book might get a bit scary for younger children, but in general it is appropriate for all ages.
Hazel is a
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dreamer and loves adventure. Hazel's best friend is Jack and together they have the most fabulous adventures. Then Jack stops talking to Hazel and one of Jack's friends tells Hazel that he saw Jack leave with a woman made of ice. Now Jack is gone and Hazel has to make a choice. Should she grow and do normal girl things like her mother is pushing her too? Or should she follow her imagination and try to save Jack from the ice woman?There are a million things I loved about this book. The writing is beautiful and the descriptions done in such a way that all of the settings come alive for the reader. Hazel is an absolutely wonderful character she is struggling with her dad having left her and her mom; she is struggling with fitting in at a traditional school (she used to go to a creative arts school). The best thing about Hazel though is that she is not afraid to be herself; the problem she has is that she isn't willing to compromise to fit in with other people...as a result her classmates have trouble understanding her.
There are numerous references to geeky fantasy culture things; lots of Harry Potter references along with a number of other references to classic fantasy literature. I enjoyed these a lot. There are parts of the story that made me laugh out loud and were very fun; for example superhero baseball. Jack and Hazel create a fun world of their own and as a reader, it is a world you wish you could live in.
The second half of the book is more serious as Hazel ventures into the woods and is forced to face a number of people who seem nice, but end up being pretty evil. Hazel's quest to rescue Jack teaches her a lot about herself and a lot about growing up. Parts of this book are a little sad because Hazel learns that as she grows there are certain things she will have to leave behind; I think all of us see that as we get older and it is always a bit sad. Jack's background is also a bit sad, he has a mother that is suffering from severe depression and the book talks some about Jack having to deal with that.
There is some magic in the book but the majority of this story is about friendship and growing up. The characters throughout are quirky and interesting. Hazel's journey through the woods is where most of the magic takes place and even there it is more like magical realism than right out magic. The whole story has a fairy tale feel to it, but is still very modern. There is beautiful artwork throughout the book as well (most of the artwork wasn't in the ARC yet but the artwork I did see was breathtaking and really added to the story).
Of course the book takes place in my home state of Minnesota and I love that. Ursu has done an excellent job capturing Minnesota winters and the adventure that driving through them can provide.
Overall I loved everything about this book. I loved the characters, the writing, the description, the story, all the quirky reference to fantasy literature, and the lessons Hazel learns throughout. I will definitely be reading anything that Ursu writes in the future. I just love this book so much! If you are a fan of fantasy adventure or fairy tales pick up this book as soon as it releases! The book might get a bit scary for younger children, but in general it is appropriate for all ages.
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LibraryThing member GRgenius
Hazel, our dear sweet imaginative Hazel; you may be only eleven, but you are wise beyond your years. Who else could stare adversity in the face and tell it “no, you’re wrong, I’m right and I’ll PROVE it” without completely losing their cool? Okay, grant it…the pencil box incident in
Jack, oh Jack…you’ve been dealt a bad hand, it’s true; but despite how hopeless it may seem, others have been in your shoes before and will be once again. Escape may be found through hardening your heart and not allowing anyone in, but true happiness will not. It needs the heart to make it function, allow it grow into something we want to hold on to. It may hurt or be hurt sometimes, but that’s all a part of life. Growing up was never said to be an easy thing, nor the lessons life will throw our way. It’s the joy we manage to steal from each day and the friends we surround ourselves with that make it all worth while. So use your drawings, create worlds within worlds, and let your imagination roam free…just don’t lose sight of the things that tether you to THIS world because those are what’s truly worth fighting for.
Adelaide and Uncle Martin, you are memorable though your time in the spotlight is short. You help a young girl see with not just her eyes, but with her mind ultimately giving her permission to use her gift of imagination fully. Hazel’s Mom (sorry, I didn’t catch your name…), though things are tough and you may not understand your child’s way of coping with it all, you try…and in parenting that counts for A LOT. The simple promise you made to Hazel about ballet lessons in spite of the hardships you’re currently facing…wonderful…and it will stick with her the next time you and her don’t see eye to eye. As for you little Miss Snow Queen….you are what you are and you are evil at that. It’s not your fault per se…perhaps you were born that way or something happened to you so many years ago it’s been forgotten, but in either case a frozen heart may as well be no heart at all…tisk tisk for all you’ve done.
The world created within this story is varied with different aspects of fairytales past peaking through time and again, while still being grounded in the here and now. The snowy blanket throughout the town creates a magical feeling of endless possibilities and a playground for children with active imaginations (with or without the harm that comes from a shard of magic mirror). Each character introduced has a memorable role to play no matter how small and the ingenuity that Hazel employs in their presence all in the name of getting her friend back is something to see. You’ll shrivel from the sight of the old woman who longed for beauty and youth…and got something else entirely. You’ll embrace the friendship offered by the strapping lad of similar age…that keeps a fine cabin in the midst of a dark and lonely wood. You’ll be tempted in by the warm glow of the fire and two guardians to which you could…belong. There’s a surprise around every corner and almost nothing is as it seems…but with Hazel in the lead, you couldn’t be in better company.
In summary, a book for all ages that speaks of the inevitable (growing up, that is) and helps define what true friendship is…and isn’t. It ISN’T something to be taken for granted or left unacknowledged day after day. It ISN’T a feeling that should be thrown around flippantly and without care. It IS that close group of people (or an individual) we hold dear to our hearts and would do anything for. It IS that connection we have with another that goes unspoken at times and yet beats with a heart as fierce as a warrior. It IS a feeling of happiness we share with another that does not expect anything in return; thereby making what is reciprocated, that much sweeter.
Recommended reading for middle grade readers through adults. The many fairytale aspects to the story will appeal to young readers and be familiar to those of a certain age, but without the déjà vu effect because this tale certainly stands on its own two feet.
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school didn’t make it crystal clear but hey, you’re BEST friend had been hurt, possibly by you, and they were cracking jokes? Uncalled for in my book and apparently yours. The depths to which you feel things even when your own little world isn’t so picture book perfect is amazing and just goes to show that in any situation, it’s all about perspective. Being able to see that light at the end of the tunnel turns it from a runaway train to a glimmer of hope and fuels our hearts to keep trying, keep reaching for that sunny day. You taught us that through your adventure in a mere 313 pages. Thank you.Jack, oh Jack…you’ve been dealt a bad hand, it’s true; but despite how hopeless it may seem, others have been in your shoes before and will be once again. Escape may be found through hardening your heart and not allowing anyone in, but true happiness will not. It needs the heart to make it function, allow it grow into something we want to hold on to. It may hurt or be hurt sometimes, but that’s all a part of life. Growing up was never said to be an easy thing, nor the lessons life will throw our way. It’s the joy we manage to steal from each day and the friends we surround ourselves with that make it all worth while. So use your drawings, create worlds within worlds, and let your imagination roam free…just don’t lose sight of the things that tether you to THIS world because those are what’s truly worth fighting for.
Adelaide and Uncle Martin, you are memorable though your time in the spotlight is short. You help a young girl see with not just her eyes, but with her mind ultimately giving her permission to use her gift of imagination fully. Hazel’s Mom (sorry, I didn’t catch your name…), though things are tough and you may not understand your child’s way of coping with it all, you try…and in parenting that counts for A LOT. The simple promise you made to Hazel about ballet lessons in spite of the hardships you’re currently facing…wonderful…and it will stick with her the next time you and her don’t see eye to eye. As for you little Miss Snow Queen….you are what you are and you are evil at that. It’s not your fault per se…perhaps you were born that way or something happened to you so many years ago it’s been forgotten, but in either case a frozen heart may as well be no heart at all…tisk tisk for all you’ve done.
The world created within this story is varied with different aspects of fairytales past peaking through time and again, while still being grounded in the here and now. The snowy blanket throughout the town creates a magical feeling of endless possibilities and a playground for children with active imaginations (with or without the harm that comes from a shard of magic mirror). Each character introduced has a memorable role to play no matter how small and the ingenuity that Hazel employs in their presence all in the name of getting her friend back is something to see. You’ll shrivel from the sight of the old woman who longed for beauty and youth…and got something else entirely. You’ll embrace the friendship offered by the strapping lad of similar age…that keeps a fine cabin in the midst of a dark and lonely wood. You’ll be tempted in by the warm glow of the fire and two guardians to which you could…belong. There’s a surprise around every corner and almost nothing is as it seems…but with Hazel in the lead, you couldn’t be in better company.
In summary, a book for all ages that speaks of the inevitable (growing up, that is) and helps define what true friendship is…and isn’t. It ISN’T something to be taken for granted or left unacknowledged day after day. It ISN’T a feeling that should be thrown around flippantly and without care. It IS that close group of people (or an individual) we hold dear to our hearts and would do anything for. It IS that connection we have with another that goes unspoken at times and yet beats with a heart as fierce as a warrior. It IS a feeling of happiness we share with another that does not expect anything in return; thereby making what is reciprocated, that much sweeter.
Recommended reading for middle grade readers through adults. The many fairytale aspects to the story will appeal to young readers and be familiar to those of a certain age, but without the déjà vu effect because this tale certainly stands on its own two feet.
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LibraryThing member pandaris
Breadcrumbs is basically broken up into two parts, one taking place in our world, and the other taking place in the forest that happens to be enchanted. Initially I loved the second part at first because it was a fantasy world, which is my favorite kind of world. But then I felt like Hazel was
Hazel herself was interesting at times, and I liked the way she thought every now and then. For the most part though, she felt much older than the age she was supposed to be, around 9 to 11 years old I think. Jack behaved much as a boy that age would, and I liked him more than Hazel, even though we hardly get as much time with him as we do Hazel. The secondary characters are introduced, but in the case of Adelaide and her uncle, quickly forgotten for the most part. I honestly didn't see much point to having them around, which is sad because I liked them and wanted to see more of them.
The ending wasn't satisfying at all. The entire book is building up to this one point, and it is anticlimactic. It also left me feeling sad because it finished in such a way that you're not entirely sure of what will happen in Hazel and Jack's future.
At times the writing and descriptions are wonderful, but overall Breadcrumbs just didn't live up to my expectations. This is definitely one I'd suggest borrowing from a friend or the library before making the jump to buying. If any of you decide to read it, I hope you enjoy it more than I did!
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getting bogged down by too many obstacles that she had to overcome. I felt like a few well placed ones would have done better and gotten the same point across of persevering even in the face of apparent failure. One of these obstacles almost succeeded in making me forget this was about Hazel and Jack because it felt like it was telling another story entirely.Hazel herself was interesting at times, and I liked the way she thought every now and then. For the most part though, she felt much older than the age she was supposed to be, around 9 to 11 years old I think. Jack behaved much as a boy that age would, and I liked him more than Hazel, even though we hardly get as much time with him as we do Hazel. The secondary characters are introduced, but in the case of Adelaide and her uncle, quickly forgotten for the most part. I honestly didn't see much point to having them around, which is sad because I liked them and wanted to see more of them.
The ending wasn't satisfying at all. The entire book is building up to this one point, and it is anticlimactic. It also left me feeling sad because it finished in such a way that you're not entirely sure of what will happen in Hazel and Jack's future.
At times the writing and descriptions are wonderful, but overall Breadcrumbs just didn't live up to my expectations. This is definitely one I'd suggest borrowing from a friend or the library before making the jump to buying. If any of you decide to read it, I hope you enjoy it more than I did!
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LibraryThing member titania86
Hazel and Jack have always been best friends, through thick and thin. They both have wild imaginations that allow them to create fantastical stories together about superheroes and supervillains with supernatural powers. They are now eleven and they are being pulled in different directions.
Anne Ursu is a wonderful writer that captures the eleven year old experience, between childhood and teenage years. Changes abound because of Hazel’s age. Magic and imagination games become childish and targets of ridicule. She’s expected to spend more time with girls and develop more gender appropriate interests. These expectations come not only from her parents, but also from her classmates. When she was forced to spend time with other people, she had fun, but seemed scared to make new friends. She also felt that she was betraying Jack, her best and only friend. It comes from resisting change and not wanting to realize that people change over time. When Jack suddenly turns on her, she feels hurt and alone and she doesn’t know what she did. At any stage in life, relationships can suddenly change and people can grow apart without any real fault on either side. I think anyone can relate to the relationship aspects of the book because everyone suffers from societal expectations and changing friendships.
Breadcrumbs is like reading two separate books. The first half that takes place in the normal world is infused with Hazel’s imagination and sense of humor. She describes things in hilarious ways that I wouldn’t even think of and she’s constantly referencing fantasy books, such as Harry Potter, His Dark Materials, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Coraline. She uses her interest in fantasy to color and explain the world around her and its harsh realities. When she ventured in to the forest, the tone changed considerably. The narrative takes on a dark tone, leaving the humor behind. When read in fairy tales, some of the situations are interesting and beautiful, but when you are put into them, they become your harsh reality. The fairy tales encountered by Hazel are all based on Hans Christian Andersen’s art tales with a little twist. These tales aren’t about princesses or magical kisses, but about little match girls left to die out in the snow and magic shoes that cause the wearer to dance to death. I really liked that Anne Ursu never talked down to her readers and didn’t sugar coat the harsh realities in and out of the fairy tale world. Even if Hazel saved Jack, she may still have lost him as a friend.
Breadcrumbs is an excellent book about childhood that both children and adults can enjoy. I would recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy, fairy tales, and is still young at heart.
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Hazel’s mother thinks female friends are more appropriate companions for Hazel and Jack’s friends at school think he should hang out with them and exclude Hazel. Jack becomes distant and cold, leaving Hazel alone at school and at home. Then one day, Jack is gone. His parents claim he is caring for an ailing old relative, but Hazel knows better. She ventures into the forest and goes on an adventure filled with odd characters and perilous situations. Can she survive and save her best friend? Will he even want to be saved?Anne Ursu is a wonderful writer that captures the eleven year old experience, between childhood and teenage years. Changes abound because of Hazel’s age. Magic and imagination games become childish and targets of ridicule. She’s expected to spend more time with girls and develop more gender appropriate interests. These expectations come not only from her parents, but also from her classmates. When she was forced to spend time with other people, she had fun, but seemed scared to make new friends. She also felt that she was betraying Jack, her best and only friend. It comes from resisting change and not wanting to realize that people change over time. When Jack suddenly turns on her, she feels hurt and alone and she doesn’t know what she did. At any stage in life, relationships can suddenly change and people can grow apart without any real fault on either side. I think anyone can relate to the relationship aspects of the book because everyone suffers from societal expectations and changing friendships.
Breadcrumbs is like reading two separate books. The first half that takes place in the normal world is infused with Hazel’s imagination and sense of humor. She describes things in hilarious ways that I wouldn’t even think of and she’s constantly referencing fantasy books, such as Harry Potter, His Dark Materials, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Coraline. She uses her interest in fantasy to color and explain the world around her and its harsh realities. When she ventured in to the forest, the tone changed considerably. The narrative takes on a dark tone, leaving the humor behind. When read in fairy tales, some of the situations are interesting and beautiful, but when you are put into them, they become your harsh reality. The fairy tales encountered by Hazel are all based on Hans Christian Andersen’s art tales with a little twist. These tales aren’t about princesses or magical kisses, but about little match girls left to die out in the snow and magic shoes that cause the wearer to dance to death. I really liked that Anne Ursu never talked down to her readers and didn’t sugar coat the harsh realities in and out of the fairy tale world. Even if Hazel saved Jack, she may still have lost him as a friend.
Breadcrumbs is an excellent book about childhood that both children and adults can enjoy. I would recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy, fairy tales, and is still young at heart.
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LibraryThing member EuronerdLibrarian
Overrated. When I finished, I wondered, What was the point of that? The first half was delightful. I liked the characters. Ursu is skilled at writing prose. I enjoyed the literary allusions. But it fell apart in the second half. I kept waiting for some reveal, some explanation, some moment of
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understanding/realization, but it never came. The ending was very abrupt, and kind of vague. We get a clear explanation of the mirror, what it is and how it gets into Jack, but the scene of resolution is vague and the explanation nonexistent. All sorts of things are introduced that are never addressed properly. There were some nice moments--like when Hazel realizes the effect her actions could have on her mother. But the book never came together. I look back and it seems like a jumble of themes that weren't developed properly. Show Less
LibraryThing member delphica
I'm honestly very mixed about this book. Very modern day fairy tale, on top of her parents' divorce and not fitting in to her new school, Hazel has to deal with the (mystical) disappearance of her best friend.
I liked Hazel a lot. I liked most of the characters, especially Hazel's mother. I was a
I wasn't nuts about how oppressive the overall tone of the book is. I generally do not care for this style - the old "hey, if fairy tales were real, they would suck a lot" tone. Tell us something we don't know! Unlike something like Inkheart, which annoyed me for mostly this reason, there were enough endearing elements in Breadcrumbs to keep this aspect from turning me off completely.
Unusual for me, I thought the literary allusions were too much. They seemed to be propping up the story instead of enhancing it in more than a few places.
Grade: B+/A-
Recommended: I think it's worth reading if you are a fan of contemporary fantasy/fairy stories. The language is quite impressive. The experience of reading it is very immersive, it feels like a complete world. Somehow, though, it just didn't all come together for me emotionally when all was said and done
I liked Hazel a lot. I liked most of the characters, especially Hazel's mother. I was a
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little confused by her friend Adelaide and her uncle, who seemed on the verge of being significant characters but then went nowhere.I wasn't nuts about how oppressive the overall tone of the book is. I generally do not care for this style - the old "hey, if fairy tales were real, they would suck a lot" tone. Tell us something we don't know! Unlike something like Inkheart, which annoyed me for mostly this reason, there were enough endearing elements in Breadcrumbs to keep this aspect from turning me off completely.
Unusual for me, I thought the literary allusions were too much. They seemed to be propping up the story instead of enhancing it in more than a few places.
Grade: B+/A-
Recommended: I think it's worth reading if you are a fan of contemporary fantasy/fairy stories. The language is quite impressive. The experience of reading it is very immersive, it feels like a complete world. Somehow, though, it just didn't all come together for me emotionally when all was said and done
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LibraryThing member jfoster_sf
This book had a great story-a spin on the Snow Queen fairytale-but while the beginning had me hooked, the middle and ending really fell flat for me.
LibraryThing member kaxxie
An extraordinary story, exquisitely told. A wondrous re-imagining of Andersen's Snow Queen that is both worthy of the original and a completely unique offering. Richly rewarding on many levels: as fairy tale, as bildungsroman, as literary guide to many classic works. The most perfect book I've read
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in a very, very long time. Show Less
LibraryThing member 4sarad
Very strange book. I liked the overall plot well enough, but it's a plot as old as time, which is sort of what the book was about if that makes any sense whatsoever. The main character, Hazel, is a reader and makes SO many allusions to other stories (from Narnia and Wrinkle in Time to Coraline and
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The Wizard of Oz) which is sometimes fun but other times very distracting. If you haven't read every book she has read you'll just be left in the dust. I understand the idea of retelling fairy tales, but the author takes SO many different tales and throws them all together that there's not much to discover in this book. There was one touching moment near the end, but it was brief. I liked the characters, but that just wasn't enough to carry this book for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member lindamamak
Not one of my favorite stories as friends Hazel and Jack since childhood start to drift apart.
LibraryThing member markon
The quick way to describe [Breadcrumbs], by [Anne Ursa], is to say it is a retelling of the Snow Queen fairy tale set in contemporary times. But it’s also a book about loss, about how things change and something we took for granted is gone for good and how that affects us.
Hazel and Jack live
That’s the first half of the book. The second half is Hazel’s discovery that things are not as simple and clear cut as they seem, since it’s one of Jack’s despised-by-Hazel male friends who recognizes Jack is missing & approaches Hazel with information about where he went. This discovery continues as Hazel travels into the woods in search of her friend. While there she encounters other people (and creatures) and learns, among other hard things, that the people who go to live with the Snow Queen go because they want to, and that the queen holds no one prisoner. Hazel also has to listen and pay attention, because no one she meets in the wood is as they seem (or as they present themselves). This experience teaches her to look at herself and her relationships with others more closely as well.
I won’t tell you what happens when Hazel finally makes her way to the Snow Queen’s palace and finds Jack, but I will say that I found the ending satisfying.
Hazel and Jack live
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next door and have been best friends for a long time. Due to her parents separation & the resulting financial strain, Hazel now attends the same school as Jack, where conformity rather than creativity is valued, and Hazel is having trouble adjusting. Jack’s family too has its problems. Jack’s father is doing it all since, although she’s still physically living with them, his mother is absent. This affects Jack more than I as a reader realized at first. It is what makes him susceptible to an accidental injury Hazel inflicts on him on the playground, and makes the Snow Queen’s invitation attractive.That’s the first half of the book. The second half is Hazel’s discovery that things are not as simple and clear cut as they seem, since it’s one of Jack’s despised-by-Hazel male friends who recognizes Jack is missing & approaches Hazel with information about where he went. This discovery continues as Hazel travels into the woods in search of her friend. While there she encounters other people (and creatures) and learns, among other hard things, that the people who go to live with the Snow Queen go because they want to, and that the queen holds no one prisoner. Hazel also has to listen and pay attention, because no one she meets in the wood is as they seem (or as they present themselves). This experience teaches her to look at herself and her relationships with others more closely as well.
I won’t tell you what happens when Hazel finally makes her way to the Snow Queen’s palace and finds Jack, but I will say that I found the ending satisfying.
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LibraryThing member herdingcats
Anne Ursu is a master story teller. With references to Narnia and fairy tales, Hazel goes into the woods to rescue her best friend Jack after a sliver of glass falls into his eye freezing his heart leading him to go off with the White Witch. This is a delightfully slightly creepy tale. Hazel
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reminds me a bit of Charlotte from the Chronos Chronicles, especially as she trudges through the cold on the way to the castle. The story is fun and well written and I really enjoyed it a lot! Show Less
LibraryThing member Tatiana_G
I am not a regular reader of children's books and certainly not their connoisseur. Literature aimed at elementary school students is not something I actively seek or even enjoy at my age. But sometimes there are children's books that touch me in a special way.
"Breadcrumbs" managed to bring out the
While Anne Ursu stays very close to Hans Christian Andersen's original story, preserving the tale's sense of loneliness and coldness, she adapts it perfectly to modern times. The children have modern troubles - Jack's mother is going through a deep depression, Hazel has to deal with her adoptive parents' divorce and to bring herself to fit in a new, difficult and different school. Ursu's best addition to the old fairly tale, IMO, is her interpretation of the enchanted forest (with the Snow's Queen's castle at the end of it) as a place of retreat for the souls who want to escape their troubled real lives. Such place can be very attractive from the outside, but it is gruesome when you are in it.
Although "Breadcrumbs" is a lovely, atmospheric story, I don't think it surpasses its inspiration in quality. I think it could have been smoother. The second part of the novel, where Hazel embarks on her quest through the magic forest and encounters many curious people, animals and magic objects is a little muddy in its messages (or I might be too dense or too adult to understand them).
However, the novel's best achievement is that it captures the internal world of a reading child perfectly. It is both a little lonely and full of wonder... I suspect those unfamiliar with children's books and who never were avid readers in their kid years will not enjoy "Breadcrumbs" quite as much as I did.
"Breadcrumbs" managed to bring out the
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memories of my childhood like no other book before. This modern day retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen" is an homage to all the wonderful stories of my childhood and some that captured my imagination in adult years - "The Chronicles of Narnia," "Harry Potter," "When You Reach Me," "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" and many, many more. Incidentally, "The Snow Queen" was a big part of my childhood too. I still remember very clearly Gerda's quest to save her best friend Kai after he was whisked away by the Snow Queen to the Queen's cold, cold ice castle.While Anne Ursu stays very close to Hans Christian Andersen's original story, preserving the tale's sense of loneliness and coldness, she adapts it perfectly to modern times. The children have modern troubles - Jack's mother is going through a deep depression, Hazel has to deal with her adoptive parents' divorce and to bring herself to fit in a new, difficult and different school. Ursu's best addition to the old fairly tale, IMO, is her interpretation of the enchanted forest (with the Snow's Queen's castle at the end of it) as a place of retreat for the souls who want to escape their troubled real lives. Such place can be very attractive from the outside, but it is gruesome when you are in it.
Although "Breadcrumbs" is a lovely, atmospheric story, I don't think it surpasses its inspiration in quality. I think it could have been smoother. The second part of the novel, where Hazel embarks on her quest through the magic forest and encounters many curious people, animals and magic objects is a little muddy in its messages (or I might be too dense or too adult to understand them).
However, the novel's best achievement is that it captures the internal world of a reading child perfectly. It is both a little lonely and full of wonder... I suspect those unfamiliar with children's books and who never were avid readers in their kid years will not enjoy "Breadcrumbs" quite as much as I did.
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Awards
Georgia Children's Book Award (Finalist — Grades 4-8 — 2014)
BCCB Blue Ribbon Book (Fiction — 2011)
North Carolina Children's Book Award (Nominee — 2014)
Maud Hart Lovelace Award (Nominee — 2015)
CCBC Choices (2012)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Kids (Fiction for Older Readers — 2011)
Original publication date
2011
ISBN
9780062049247
DDC/MDS
| Fic SF Ursu |