The Little Match Girl Strikes Back
New Year’s Eve in London of 1887 is delightful only for the wealthy. Nasty weather, miserable air, street thugs, and poor housing make life miserable for all others. Headstrong thirteen-year-old Bridie Sweeney strives to bring a little joy into the one-room home she shares with her “Mam” and younger brother. Spinning constant yarns about her magical matches, Bridie peddles boxes of them on the street. She wants to earn enough to buy a whole goose from the local butcher. The day starts out well enough but then turns to chaos. Bridie’s matchboxes get smashed in an accident, and later she loses all the money she had made.
Meanwhile, gaunt, dead-tired Mam must work long hours for little pay in the match factory. She gets fired at the end of her shift. Bridie can’t sell her last three little matches so lights them herself. Each gives off a magical aura that transports her as if in a dream to the homes of the upper class. Those visits inspire her to try to get Mam’s job back.
Carroll tells the story through Bridie’s splendid first-person voice. We believe Bridie could sell match boxes to a fireman. Dramatic illustrations and creative formatting help pull the reader into the time and events. Endnotes with photographs explain that this story is loosely derived from an 1845 Hans Christian Andersen tale but closely tied to labor unrest at a real London East End match factory. Readers from about nine and up will learn about strong women, a bit of London history, the cruel greed of bosses, and the power of workers united. Highly recommended.
