I love this quirky, original, and very beautiful short fantasy for young readers, HORTENSE AND THE SHADOW. Set in a forested winter wonderland, illustrated by Lauren O'Hara, this captivating story begins with silliness and stubbornness and ends in bravery and adventure.

Hortense loves playing outdoors and exploring beautiful buildings, but gets annoyed by seeing her shadow, and decides to get rid of it. But maybe a girl is better off to have a shadow! See what you think.

Sisters Natalia and Lauren O'Hara live in London. Natalia the author is a script editor and Lauren is a set designer, and this venture is their first collaboration. The writing is a little unusual in phrasing, and the whole is based on tales from their Polish grandmother. I can't compliment the artwork highly enough for nature and Central European buildings. Little Hortense is brought to life full of movement and determination. In the shadow figure we can also take the lesson of a child becoming impatient with a younger sibling, so we can learn a lot. HORTENSE AND THE SHADOW would make a perfect present for readers from four to eight years. Adults will enjoy it too.