The Steadfast Tin Soldier

This is an endearing book by Hans Christian Anderson, illustrated by David Delamare. It tells the story of an ostracized tin soldier with only one leg who is desperately in love with a paper ballerina. The ballerina is standing with one leg raised so high that the soldier thinks that she, like himself, has only one leg. It so happens that one day the soldier stands too close to the window and is blown out. He goes through quite an ordeal that ends in the belly of fish. This particular fish is bought by a cook who turns out to work in the same home that the soldier had originally resided in. But, in a wicked turn of fate, the soldier is thrown into the furnace; however, just as he is melting down, a draft blows through the room and the little, paper ballerina is blown into the furnace aswell. Later, a maid cleans out the furnace and finds only a little tin heart. It's really a beautiful story, and the illustrations are divine. David Delamare's fanciful yet geometric style lends a fairy tale ambience to a heart-warming story.

This book tells the classic tale of the one-legged tin soldier who falls in love with a paper ballerina. The soldier suffers a series of misadventures, including being placed at the helm of a doomed paper boat, being chased by a rat, and swallowed by a fish. It's a wonderful tale that will hold older children spellbound. The illustrations are delightful. All told, the book has about 2000 words.

A little boy had a set of tin soldiers that were made from a melted spoon. One soldier was missing a leg because there was not enough metal left over from the melted spoon.Tossed aside by the boy, the one-legged soldier sees a paper cut out figure of a ballerina. She is poised on one leg and he feels an instant bond. He has found another one-legged toy and believes this to be love.The steadfast tin soldier has a series of mishaps. He falls off the window sill into a stream. From there, he is transported to a rat infested sewer. He is swallowed by a fish and through an unlikely stroke of luck, winds up back in the boy's playroom with the other toys and the ballerina.The ending is what gets to me every single time. A gust of wind lifts the paper ballerina up and she flutters into the fire place, winding up a charred heap of ashes. Devastated, the tin soldier joins her. The remaining metal that was once the tin soldier is a charred piece of heart shaped metal.I still think this is a very sad story. The photographs really emphasize the feeling this story evokes.

I taught 1st grade for 4 years and all of the teachers in my grade passed this book around at Christmas to read to our class. I cried everytime I read it. It has a wonderful message and my kids in my classroom always loved it! I have now (finally) purchased my own copy of this book to read to my little girl. It is a classic and I know she will love it as much as I do. Every home should have this book to read at Christmastime.

This is a really good book. It has all the characteristic's that made the original a cherished and remembered fairy tale. It is a great gift for any young child, and can be enjoyed by adults too. It maintains the feel of the original tale, but is more like a poem. The art work on each page is beautiful, and the pictures are totally devine. I would recomend buying this for a different and fully enjoyable version of the original.