The Tinderbox
by Hans Christian Andersen
(Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline)
Candlewick Press, 2007

"Left, right! Left, right!" A soldier is marching home from war when he meets an witch who says, "What a fine sword you have, and what a big knapsack! You look just the way a soldier should. Now I'll show you how to get as much money as you want."

Fortune is fleeting for the handsome soldier until he learns the secret of the witch's tinderbox and her three magical dogs—each with eyes bigger than the last. With a strike of the tinderbox's flint, a dog appears to grant him his wish. The soldier doesn't hesitate to take advantage of this gift—at a high cost to the kingdom.

With his signature wit and clarity, Stephen Mitchell gives a wonderfully fresh retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's tale. The story is perfectly paired with Bagram Ibatoulline's richly detailed illustrations, creating an exquisite new edition of a classic.