Book review: The Fir Tree

I came across Sanna Annukka’s art online a few months ago, and immediately ordered this book, The Fir Tree by Hans Christian Andersen, with her illustrations.

The book was every bit as lovely as I’d hoped – it’s one of the most beautiful illustrated books I own (and I have a lot!).

I’m kind of obsessed with triangles at the moment, and this book fits in well with that theme, because most of the illustrations are formed of patterns made up of lots of triangles of different sizes. Hiding in among the triangles are various birds and mice and other animals.

Some of the illustrations are in different shades of pink, purple, orange and red, and others are in blues and greens. These combinations of colours, and the retro style of the illustrations, take me back to the books of my 1970s childhood. They remind me of some of the textbooks we had at school, and of a couple of large artworks that were in the hall at my school.

Each and every illustration in the book is so perfect, I don’t think I could choose a favourite if I tried!