As I have the grandkids every weekend, I tend to read them books before bed time. All the better if they are picture books. My granddaughter is almost 4 and my grandson is almost 6. They both chose the book as they were drawn to the cover. Both of them listened as the lead character Hortense grew tired of being followed by her shadow. It’s only when she devised a cunning plan to rid herself of her shadow that she realises what she has done. A delightfully dark story brought to life by the beautiful illustrations. Needless to say, this will be bedtime reading for a great many nights to come.

Hortense is a kind and brave girl, but she is sad as her shadow follows her everywhere she goes. She hates her shadow and thinks her shadow hates her too. But then one cold, dark night, bandits surprise her in the woods. Hortense discovers that her shadow is the very thing she needs most.

What a beautifully illustrated book this is. A beautifully written fairytale. A tale that children will love to read or listen to being read and adults will enjoy being read to their children. A story where a girl learns to come to terms with her appearance.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Random House UK Children's and the authors Natalia O'Hara & Lauren O'Hara.

I read this book and was quite enchanted by its old world charm and period feeling, it reminded me of the old books of fairy tales that I loved as a child. Naturally any story of a child and their shadow will evoke Peter Pan but this story swept any comparison away. The drawings were loose enough to allow my imagination to fill in the gaps and I consider that to be a good thing.
I can imagine that this book could be a great jumping off point for shadow play, inspiring children to write their own stories and some elementary physics.
Highly recommended and certainly a book I will purchase for my grand daughters.

In this story, we follow the eponymous Hortense and her trials and tribulations with her shadow. Though she is scared of her shadow and its continued proximity to her, by the book's end, the character has self-belief, power and an adventurous spirit.

The illustrations are beautiful, suiting the fairytale-like qualities of the prose; making it a very appealing and readable book.

A fantastic book with great messages and themes throughout, for the education and enjoyment of little ones and adults alike.

Hortense and the Shadow was enthralling and exceptional!! The story just swept me away and I thoroughly enjoyed it, such a modern fairytale with a strong female lead. The book was beautifully and captivatingly illustrated.

I've heard nothing but brilliant things about this book and I was thrilled when I was approved to read and review it. Unfortunately I wasn't able to download it to any device. This will be a book I definitely look out for when I'm next in a book shop.

Loved this short fairytale: it has a nice, young but determined character, it's original, it flows nicely and is sure to delight all who read or hear it. I'll be reading it to my nephew this Christmas!

I seldom read children's literature these days, but I made an exception for this exquisitely illustrated book about a young girl who hates her shadow.

Sisters Lauren and Natalia O'Hara, from the north of England, have created a magical allegory with an old world feel. As youngsters they were excited by fairy tales and animal fables, and loved listening to their Polish grandmother tell stories on cold winter nights - and there is a palpable Eastern European look and wisdom to the spare narrative and snowy landscapes.

"Through the dark and wolfish woods, through the white and silent snow, lived a small girl called Hortense. Though kind and brave, she was sad as an owl because of one thing . . . Hortense hated her shadow."

A delightful Christmas gift for a young person with a lively imagination.

Beautifully illustrated, this book was a delight to read. This book tells the tale of Hortense and her fear of her own shadow. Although this book would be best suited to younger children, it's stunning pictures and flowing words make it appealing to readers both young and old. Perfect bedtime story.

I don’t often review picture books. I’m not the target audience. It is the illustrations by Lauren O’Hara that make the exception. My favourite parts, the watercolour shadows capture a child’s personality and the faces of the Bandits are menacing. The illustrations make this a picture book I would pick up and buy for someone’s child.

Lauren’s sister, Natalia, pairs the illustrations with the simple, but hidden-depth story. It’s a dark fantasy reminds me of an Eastern European fairytale. Presenting adults with an opportunity to discuss fears, strangers, and self-esteem. My one point? I’d like the story to be longer. The Bandits, for instance, came from nowhere, although they make wonderful characters.

The illustrations would attract me to buy this book. The story would make me come back to it again.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley and Penguin Random House UK Children’s, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
This is a wonderful book and deserves to be found in every growing child's stocking this Christmas. My copy is an e-book but the pictures and the layout deserve a bound book format saving the eBook for other times after it has been read and enjoyed on the printed page. Often new fairy tales are but weak imitations of the great Grimm and Anderson tradition, but this is truly a new, bright, lively story which will delight and send some shivers down every reader's back.
Natalia's writing is crisp and lovingly phrased, Lauren's pictures are just what a fairy tales pictures should be disarmingly simple but enhancing the text and intermingling the phrases within the drawings is nothing short of genius. This has really set the scene for the festive season in true eastern European style. I look forward to more stories from these two clever collaborators.

This is such a cute and imaginative read that children and adults alike will love. Hortense is a young girl who hates her shadow and then comes to realise that she shouldn't be so hateful, as she needs her shadow, it will forever be a part of her.

With beautiful illustrations, and compelling prose this is a book adults should definitely pick up for their children.

This is the most beautiful story about a young girl and her shadow. The story has a beautiful lyrical quality, with some excellent imagery, that is perfectly complimented by the lovely illustrations, Hortense hates her shadow and only sees the worst in it, until one day something helps her to see the world in a different way. It’s a great book for thinking about perception vs. reality and a lovely story to get children to debate their own ideas. A great addition to any classroom!

Gorgeously illustrated in beautiful muted colours, this story is a delight from start to finish

This is a beautiful book with a beautiful story. It has an old story feel to it, when you read the bio of the authors it is obvious that old stories have been a big part of their lives. I was drawn to the artwork originally, the whimsical, delicate pastel illustrations are superb. They manage to capture the atmosphere of the setting and the story. The story itself is based on Hortense and her dislike of her shadow, it follows her everywhere, at night turning into a dark, creepy shadow that was scary. She manages to cut the shadow off, but can feel it’s presence, but one night it comes to her rescue. Hortense realises her shadow is something that is an extension of herself, can make her appear taller, longer and reach further.

This is a book I would love to have read as a child, and would love to have read to my now grown up children. It is a story with a message, is beautifully written and I loved the illustrations.

I really liked this book. It is beautifully illustrated. This book may be small but its a wonderful story of little girl called Hortense, everywhere she went her shadow followed. She hates her shadow but after a scary event she realises that she really does she need it.

This book is going to be an excellent talking point in my classroom with my young pupils. Plus, maybe some role play which will help my class to engage in issues that may help with their fears etc and help them talk about them with others in their class as a group discussions.
Well Done to Natalia O'Hara and Lauren O'Hara for a lovely book and Penguin Random House UK Children’s Puffin Children's Fiction for letting me review it and give an honest review.

5 * review.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2183834002
Plus on Amazon Uk.

A wonderful picture book with absolutely stunning illustrations and a clever story that teaches kids how they can turn some of the absurd fears they may have into their assets. The Russian-inspired theme was brilliant and I would definitely recommenda this book as a most fitting Christmas gift for the little (or even big!) ones.

Sometimes you’ll get little gems. Little surprises which makes you feel warm inside.

Hortense and the Shadow is one of those gems! Not something I’d pick up easily simply because it is a picture book for children. But Hortense and the Shadow is more, it’s a fairy tale about things you do not like which turn out to be good. And, let’s be honest, who doesn’t like fairy tales?

The watercolor drawings are lovely, there’s things to discover in each drawing and the style is persistence.

Bravo to the authors and the publisher for bringing this to the world!

A wonderful tale about self love and acceptance. Hortense hates her shadow, but soons learns how useful her shadow can be. This was a joy to read, my four year old loved it and clearly understood the message being portrayed. It’s beautifully illustrated and would make a lovely gift.

A beautifully illustrated book. Hortense is afraid of her shadow, she hates that it follows her around and changes into creepy looking shapes. She tries everything she can to escape it and eventually succeeds, but she will realise that it is a part of her that she should embrace instead of fear.