A fairy tale drenched in folklore and doused in tradition's charm, Hortense and the Shadow is a story book for younger children which has an edgy, sinister appeal that – like all truly great children's books – will open the door to questions and conversations long after the tale is told. The darker aspects are short and fairly subtle – not enough to really frighten, but enough to keep children fascinated, and enough to make them think a bit harder about what is troubling Hortense.

The tale and the illustrations echo old Slavic fairy tales. On their website, the authors – two sisters, Lauren and Natalia O'Hara, describe it as, "a dark fairy tale, inspired by the stories our Polish grandma told on snowy nights."

The appeal of children's books – the old fairy tales; the ones we remember even more darkly as adults: the tales that, half-remembered at bedtime, make us shiver and snuggle a little further under the warm blankets and turn the night light on to stop the dark encroaching – is the layers of story and reality, blended with just the right amounts of foreboding, and then joyous relief when the monsters are vanquished.

And this tale has many layers, and will bear many retellings.

Hortense is a little girl who is angry and afraid of her own shadow, which at first is illustrated as something of a creature feature, always at the edges of Hortense's life, looming long and frightening. She manages to overcome the shadow by sheer cunning wit and quick thinking, trapping it outside the window and then watching it flee until she is free of its thrall.

But then bad men arrive – bandits who laugh at her fear, and would do harm to Hortense, and the shadow comes to the rescue, and she realises that the shadow is the one who gives her the darker side that saves her.

A neat little capstone to the story is the 'reveal' that everything that made Hortense afraid of the shadow are the qualities that she herself also possesses sometimes – and that that is all right, because now Hortense has made friends with her shadow half.

Hortense and the Shadow is a gorgeously illustrated, thought-inspiring book for winter evenings, and is one of those young children's books that the grown-up reading the story will get just as much out of as the children listening.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.

This is exactly the type of book I love to read to my children. The pictures are beautiful and the story conveys a message whilst also being an interesting read. I love the haunting quality to the story and that the darker side of life is not kept from the reader. I hope that there will be more from these two!

I really liked this book and it has some beautiful illustrations. In the story the little girl hates her shadow but after a scary event she realises that she really does she need it. A nice book to read with and too younger readers. 4 stars

A really beautiful folk tale. The illustrations are visually stunning and the story is really sweet. Would definitely buy for younger relatives.

I love picture books, this one is no different. The illustrations are incredible and the story itself is whimsical and teaches a story. Nothing is ever as it is, but there's always a reason why something is there or happens.

Lauren en Natalia O'Hara created a beautiful little fairy tale that I will definitely keep in the back of my mind!

I really loved this picture book.

I loved the illustrations. They were nice and colourful and perfectly fitted the winter setting with different shades of blue and black. They carried the story brilliantly.

Hortense and the Shadow contained just the right amount of text, minimal.

I liked the story, not to childish but not so challenging that it couldn’t be enjoyed by very young children. The balance was perfect.

Hortense and the Shadow is the perfect picture book to read during the winter, cuddled up with your children.

This is a charming debut by the O'Hara sisters, written like a fable for children. The story follows fiery little Hortense, who hates her shadow. The delicate drawings that accompany this book are visually stunning at any age with finely detailed panels on every page. I really love the Eastern European style, which shines through even before noting that the entire book is inspired by the Polish folktales told to the author and her sister in their own childhood. On the surface, Hortense seems a simple tale but actually addresses quite a bit that children can respond to such as independence, self doubt and fear, courage, trust, and confidence. Like all of the best stories, it's easy to find a little of ourselves in little Hortense.

A heartwarming short story about a little girl that hates her shadow. Very pretty illustrations that lift your mood up and I really enjoyed reading this. Stunning visually and a fairy story about the light and dark. Highly recommended and can help explsining the need to overcome fears.

I loved this children's picture book. I think sometimes, no matter how old you are, a simple tale, with beautiful illustrations, can just lift the soul.

I loved the message the book gave , about things that seem bad are sometimes good, and not prejudging and being open to change.

The book was just a little bit scary for younger readers, but not enough to give them nightmares! My son would have loved it when he was little.

Hortense and the shadow by Natalie o'hara and lauren o'hara.
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 beautifully illustrated dark fairy tale that will remind you of the fables you read as a child. A treasure not to be missed.
Hortense hated her shadow. Everywhere she went, it went. Everything she did, it did. And every time night fell it grew, tall and dark and crooked. 
A lovely short read. Loved the pictures to. 5*. Netgalley and peguins random house uk children's.

Hortense hates her shadow and wants to get rid of it.

I loved the atmosphere of the book. It's an eerie fairytale, with Hortense living alone in a dark wood, and her shadow as something that can act independently.

There's a poetic feel and it rhymes in places. Some of the pages have words spread out in artistic ways. This is great for children who love finding words, but could hinder those who struggle. The main thing is to be ready to help struggling readers find their way.

The artwork is intricate in muted tones. The creators were inspired by stories from their Polish grandmother, which particularly shows in the setting. The winters are snowy. The characters wear fur hats and fur-lined clothing. They have black hair and high cheekbones. This is one time where having Eastern European characters as the villains (a group of bandits) actually works, because Hortense is clearly the same ethnicity. It's not saying that criminals look like this and heroes look like that.

The book has an overall positive message about self (or shadow) acceptance. I appreciated that when Hortense is shouting at her shadow, she doesn't resort to ableist slurs or similar. It's a cute book, and will appeal to children who like fairytales with a touch of darkness.

This was a beautifully illustrated book with a unique storyline. It was charming and unexpected. I loved it.

a little girl is spooked by her shadow on all occasions, and seeks to lose it. However, when trouble appears, she invites it back to keep her company and safe.
This is a sweetly illustrated children's book, with a message to children about being safe and feeling safe. The idea is delightful, and would appeal to children between the ages of 4 - 9 years.
The illustrations add to the book's plot.
Thank you to Net Galley, and the publisher for allowing me to read this book.

I loved these sorts of stories when I was a little girl and I so wanted to like this book as an adult; the illustrations are lovely and the story starts so beautifully - and then about halfway in it starts to lose its way and continues downhill from there. I don't really know how to describe what I feel, except in saying that for me the story is inherently flawed. A story, even one that challenges the outer reaches of the imagination, should flow and make sense; there are some great lines, but these are followed by sections that...just don't read right! As always my review is entirely subjective based as it is on my personal interpretation.
I give this book 2 stars.

This children's book is very sweet and beautifully illustrated. Parents will enjoy reading this as much as the kids.

This is a beautifully illustrated short childrens book. Hortense hates her shadow- but comes to realise that she needs it. I can imagine the target audience really enjoying reading this aloud and sharing it with their parents. It provides an alternative for the sweet childrens stories that won't be everyone's cup of tea!

I didn’t connect with this book at all. I read it from start to finish, but it just didn’t speak to me. It’s not something I would read to my children either.

Hortense and the Shadow is a beautiful picture book.

Hortense is angry that her shadow follows her everywhere, and resolves to get rid of it. One night, bandits surprise her in the woods and she discovers that she needs her shadow to make her bigger and braver. This is a lovely exploration of self and embracing the parts of yourself you might not like.

The pictures in it are gorgeous, but it was difficult to appreciate them fully on my Kindle, so this is one I will have to get in physical copy to fully enjoy it.

This book is so beautiful! The writing is dreamy and the illustrations are dazzling.

Rating: 4.5/5

This is a delightful picture book telling the story of Hortense who initially hates her own shadow. The illustrations are gorgeous snowy images in subtle pastel shades that really enhance to story. They are the sorts of images that are so detailed that you can spot new things in each time you read the story.

This is a fairy story about light and shadows and shows how Hortense learns to accept her shadow and appreciate its properties, especially when it comes to her rescue! It could easily be used by adults to help children come to terms with their own fears. I think it is a book that could be read time and time again, becoming a treasured book.

I requested and received a copy of this novel, via NetGalley, with no obligation. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.