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The Little Match Girl Strikes Back

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Book Synopsis

It only takes one strike: A powerful feminist reworking of the Hans Christian Andersen classic, from bestselling and award-winning creators Emma Carroll and Lauren Child.

Bridie works hard to feed her family, selling matches on the streets of Victorian London. After an incident leaves her with only three matches left, the magical strike of each one sees her tumble into visions of a brighter future. Realizing she has the power to change her own fortune, Bridie leads the match factory workers out on strike, achieving the remarkable through their unity and courage.

A defiant and empowering retelling of the classic you thought you knew, based on real-life events, this stunning collaboration brought to life in glorious spot colour introduces a bold new heroine for future generations to treasure.

Our Review Panel says...

The Little Match Girl Strikes Back reimagines the traditional ‘Little Match Girl’ story and sheds light on the rich-poor divide in Victorian London.

The story is written in the first person with Bridie talking to the reader about her experiences selling matches on the street to support her ill mother. Bridie understands that there is massive inequality in her home city and can see how the rich people around her are made richer by exploiting their poorer neighbours. Author Emma Carroll conveys this in a way that is accessible for younger readers to understand and engage with.

The story is filled with stark black, white and red illustrations which are unmistakably Lauren Child but are far from the light-hearted images we associate with the artist. The book would be a perfect class novel to support ‘Victorians’ topics and would be suitable for KS2 upwards.

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The Little Match Girl Strikes Back: Teacher Notes

Chapter-by-chapter resources provided by the publisher, including comprehension questions, writing opportunities and cross-curricular ideas.

The Little Match Girl Strikes Back

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