Hortense and the Shadow

Old-fashioned and eerie, this book opens amidst snow and "wolfish woods" with a young girl, Hortense, who is not getting along with her shadow. "Everywhere she went, it went. Everything she did, it did. And every time night fell, it grew...tall and dark and crooked." Hortense is unable to escape her shadow and, from her perspective, the shadow appears to be retaliating against her. Then one day, with a sudden, deliberate window slam, she manages to separate herself from her shadow. She enjoys her independence but occasionally feels like someone is watching her, and she must convince herself that she is safe and the shadow is gone. When true danger arrives in the form of bandits, Hortense's shadow steps in and rescues her, causing Hortense to realize she has been misinterpreting her shadow all along: "In the dark you were long to make me taller...You stretched for miles to show how far I can go." The two come together again with a better understanding of each other. Wintry, shadowy art in white, black, gray, and pale blue creates the right atmosphere for this darkly suspenseful tale, and the images are tricky enough to keep readers and listeners questioning what they see and what to believe. Pair this with Michelle Cuevas and Sydney Smith's Smoot (rev. 9/17) for another take on a contentious child-shadow relationship. julie roach