Book Review: Hortense and the Shadow by the O'Hara Sisters

★★★★★

Hi all!

“Through the dark and wolfish woods, through the white and silent snow, lived a small girl called Hortense”

And that is just one of the many wonderful quotes you can find in this beautiful picture book!

I usually buy picture books based on the illustrations, and with this one it was no different. That’s always a big gamble because the story itself may turn out really weird or just plain ridiculous, taking away from the illustrations. With Hortense and the Shadow, the gamble paid off big time (and not just because I won a signed illustration – though that was a big bonus – shown on the left).

Hortense and the Shadow is about a girl who doesn’t like her shadow, and wants to be rid of it, so she cuts it off. But when she has, she’s utterly alone. It isn’t until her shadow saves Hortense from a band of bandits that she truly learns to appreciate her shadow, and from then on, they are inseparable (pun intended).

I think it is a valuable lesson for any child to learn that even if you don’t like certain things about yourself, you should embrace them because they are part of who you are. The same way Hortense had to learn to like her shadow!

And then there are the illustrations. As you can probably gather from the many pictures included in this review, I adore these illustrations. Every time you flip through the pages, I guarantee you will notice something new in the forest on the background, or some new detailing on the buildings. If I had to describe them in one word, and don’t ask me why I would have to, I’d say they make me feel ‘cozy’. And who doesn’t want that?

All in all, as soon as I saw the cover I knew I needed to have it, and once it arrived and I had a look through it, I knew straight away Margriet needed to have it too. So, I went out and got my sister a copy for Christmas. (Yes, that’s how long I have had this book, it takes me a while to get around to writing the reviews, okay?)

If you are looking for an excellent picture book to enjoy with your little one, or you just haven’t added this book to your collection yet, I strongly, strongly, advise that you do. It will be a beautiful addition to any bookshelf, adult or kid’s!

If you would like to purchase Hortense and the Shadow, you can do so here.*

*Please note that I'm a Book Depository affiliate, so I might make a small profit if you use the link above.