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.

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.

One star given only because I have to offer a star rating and cannot do otherwise currently - the version I was sent did not work properly on either iPad or iPhone - with text all over the page and drawings going over two pages, it seemed as though words were missing so I couldn't easily read it.

‘She reached for her shadow…and her shadow reached back.’

Hortense and the Shadow is a delightful new children’s book; the illustrations are lovely, evoking classic fairy tales and luscious Eastern European landscapes, and the narrative that the O’Hara sisters have created has surprising depth to it, exploring ideas of self-esteem, identity, and inner strength.

The story is about Hortense, a young girl who is afraid of her shadow. She longs for nothing more than to be rid of it, but she soon discovers that her shadow is as vital a part of her as everything else. It may sound simple but, as with most children’s books, Hortense and the Shadow has a very important message within it. Although she fears her shadow, Hortense is a brave and kind girl – she cares for those who are injured, and when bandits attack she rushes out in the dark forest to try and defend her own. She realises that even though her shadow may turn into strange, dark shapes, it’s still a part of her, and people can be just as strange and dark at times, too.

The illustrations are absolutely stunning, everything about them conjures up fairy tales told on a cold winter’s night, huddled up in front of a fire with mulled orange or hot chocolate. They compliment the story beautifully and I could happily spend my time just flicking through and enjoying the gentle watercolours; pastel blues and pinks intermingle with greys and navy blue to create a feast for the eyes and I wanted to dive right into the story and live within it (keeping my fingers crossed for a Hortense and the Shadow print collection).

Children and adults alike will love this story, and I can see it becoming a new classic with its message of bravery and kindness and beautiful illustrations. Whether you have children in your life or not, I would highly recommend bringing this enchanting book into your life.

Absolutely beautiful, gorgeous illustrations and a really lovely story. This book belongs on the bookshelf of every young person.
I've seen the hard back edition and it would make a wonderful gift, I may even buy myself a copy as I read the digital edition courtesy of NetGalley.

This is a lovely book. I love the evocative pictures that accompany the text. Hortense is a little girl who decides that she doesn't really like the fact that her shadow hangs around. But what happens when her shadow goes away... You will have to read the book to find out.

4 stars for this stunning fairy tale.

I chose this ebook because I thought it charming that it is written and illustrated by two sisters. And I am really pleased with my choice, as this children's picture book is beautifully compelling to look at and read. The illustrations are drawn from a limited palette of pastel and dark shades that reflects the innocence and darkness of the story, and I think this works really well. I lingered over these gorgeous illustrations for some time. A young child might be scared of the lurking figures that are unexplained until near the end of the book.

The story is told quite simply with some deliciously wild imagery: 'wolfish woods' and 'Wind flew through the woods like a pack of wild dogs' are two of my favourites. The theme of the book has much in common with that of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, but written for children and with a happy ending! A real treat.

I received this ebook free from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Puffin invited me to view this title on NetGalley, and I'm glad that I decided to check it out. The premise is simple: Hortense is scared of her shadow, so she decides it has to go!
If I was still working as a library assistant, Hortense and the Shadow would have been a must-read during storytime. It's so simple yet effective, and the illustrations are unbelievably gorgeous. It's hard to believe that this has been created by two debut picture book writers.
This was a very quick read for me (under five minutes!) but for someone who's been struggling through Simone de Beauvoir's 'The Second Sex' all day, this was a welcome reprieve. Thank you, Puffin, for inviting me to view this title, and to the authors for bringing some much needed magic to my day.

I was drawn to Hortense and the Shadow because of its beautiful illustrations, I thought it might be a fun read for some of my little ones to try during reading time. Unfortunately, this is one of those books were the quality of the artwork is not matched by the quality of the writing. I found the writing didn't flow well and although the layout was mostly helpful for the children to read by themselves they didn't end up enjoying it. One of the boys was convinced we'd missed a page when we hadn't, a couple were a bit scared by the story and wanted to switch to something else, the character's name was a bit tricky really and I didn't enjoy reading it out loud to the ones who can't read on their own yet either. It felt a bit like the writers had tried to stick to a formula in order to write a book but it didn't really add up to a good one in the end.

Absolutely stunning, such a wonderful story and captivating illustrations made me want to be a child again. I shared this with some if the younger members if my family and each one loved it as much as myself

Well written and beautifully illustrated, this book has a lovely message.

*ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in return for a honest review*

This lovely picture books tells the story of Hortense who wants to get rid of her shadow and takes drastic steps to do so. She's very happy without it until she is threatened by robbers and her shadow saves the day by taking the shape of a bear and frightening them off. The two are then reunited. Beautiful illustrations perfectly complement the text and there is so much to see in them that repeat readings wouldn't be a chore as you would notice different details each time. I particularly liked the pictures of the forest at night, the colour palette is just lovely and very striking. Perfect as a gentle bedtime story or as a read aloud at any time of day.

This is a beautifully illustrated picture book telling the story of a little girl and her shadow. It's deceptively dark - although not Roald Dahl dark - and I liked it a lot. I may well add it to my shortlist for Christmas present books.

A beautifully illustrated book telling the story of a young girl who doesn't appreciate what she has until it has gone. Although there is a deeper meaning to this story, young children will be drawn into it by the inclusion of bandits, bears and 'mild peril' but as they reread it, they will come to understand it on another level.

Hortense and the Shadow, by Natalia O'Hara and Lauren O'Hara is a delightful picture book for children.

A little girl named Hortense hates her shadow, especially since it follows her everywhere, and Hortense decides her shadow must go away. However, she later realizes that her shadow is there for a reason.

Within thirty-two pages, this children's book features an intriguing story and lovely illustrations.

Hortense and the Shadow is geared toward young children, particularly kindergartners to third graders. Highly recommend adding this book to your collection!


Note: I received this book from NetGalley, which is a program designed for bloggers to write book reviews in exchange for books, yet the opinions expressed in this review are my own.