• Age: 0
• Grade: p to 12
• Reading age: 0

This beautifully written story, loosely inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “Thumbelina,” was created in response to the gorgeous award-winning art of Nasrin Khosravi.

Author Uma Krishnaswami’s sensitive and poetic tale opens when Lina, a tiny girl no bigger than a thumb, is found in a flower by her mother. Because she is so tiny, adventure and mishap easily befall her — a giant frog leaves her stranded on a lily pad, she is freed by curious fish, then pestered by crazy bugs. Lina lives by herself in the depths of a forest until the cold of winter approaches and she begins to feel lonely. She encounters a mouse, who is happy to have someone to dust and sweep for him, but one day in the back room of his house Lina comes across the body of a swallow. The mouse is convinced the bird is dead but Lina, thinking she sees a wing tremble, brings it food and water. Amazingly, the swallow revives and the two of them fly together to the garden of wishes…

Iranian-born illustrator Nasrin Khosravi won the Grand Prize at the Noma Concours in Japan (2000) and was selected as best illustrator at the Tehran International Biennial of Illustration (1999) when these paintings were first published in a Farsi version of Andersen’s tale. They now grace this new Thumbelina story, giving young readers in North America an opportunity to delight in her work. Uma Krishnaswami’s text perfectly captures the spirit of the luminous illustrations, creating a book that is beautiful, magical and mysterious.

Uma Krishnaswami's inspiration for this book came from her memory of planting a mango seed as a child and seeing it grow into a tree, and also from a news story about people who planted trees in potholes. She has written many children's books, from picture books to middle grade readers to retellings of classic tales and myths, including Bringing Asha Home (CCBC Choices), The Happiest Tree (Paterson Prize finalist, CCBC Choices, Bank Street College Best Books), Naming Maya (IRA Notable Books for a Global Society) and Chachaji's Cup (Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, Bank Street College Best Books). Her latest middle grade novel, The Grand Plan to Fix Everything, published by Atheneum, received starred reviews in Kirkus and School Library Journal. She teaches at Vermont College of Fine Arts in the MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults and is an active blogger. Uma was born in New Delhi, India, and now lives in Aztec, New Mexico.

Uma Krishnaswami's profile page

Nasrin Khosravi was a world-renowned illustrator of children's books. Born in Tehran, Iran, she graduated from Tehran University in graphic and fine arts, taught illustration at Honar University and illustrated more than thirty-five books for children. She also exhibited her paintings in solo and group exhibitions in many countries, receiving honors in Italy, Germany, Iran, Austria, India, France, Spain and Slovakia. Nasrin won the Grand Prize at the Noma Concours in Japan and was selected as best illustrator at the Tehran International Biennial of Illustration for the paintings that now appear in this new version of the Thumbelina story. She was also nominated for the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award and the UNICEF Ezra Jack Keats Award. She spent her last years painting, and living with her family in Canada.

Nasrin Khosravi's profile page

... a fresh and invigorating story... [Krishnaswami's] poetic writing carries the reader along at a pace that even preschoolers will find stimulating and appealing.

CM Magazine

Text that sings like poetry narrates a gorgeous re-envisioning of 'Thumbelina' ... a must.

Kirkus Reviews