A young boy, observing that his elderly neighbor is lonely, sends one of his tin soldiers as a gift, receiving an invitation to the "Old House" in return. So begins a touching, but short-lived friendship, one that will return to the boy many years later, long after the old man and his old house have disappeared...

Another of Hans Christian Andersen's original fairy-tales, The Old House was originally published in 1847, and has that reflective, somewhat melancholy tone I have come to associate with his work. This picture-book edition sets the tale in a modern city, making the contrast between the old house - with its turrets, carved balcony, and overhanging upper story - and the surrounding buildings (skyscrapers), all the more dramatic. Jean Claverie's interior scenes, in particular, have a warmth that is very appealing.

I'm not sure that there is another single-story, picture-book retelling of The Old House, making it especially fortunate that this one is so engaging. Well worth the time of any Andersen devotee! ( )