Each year, NPR asks a writer to compose a Christmas-themed story. Last year Gregory Maguire, the author of Wicked, read his updated version of Hans Christian Andersen’s story, “The Little Match Girl” and his story, Matchless, is now available in a lovely gift book edition complete with illustrations by Maguire.
Frederik and his mother live a poor life in a town where it snows from September through April, but they have shelter and can usually scrounge enough to eat to stave off starvation. Frederik dreams of a better life and keeps his dream alive by creating a “town” in his attic out of found odds and ends. The little match girl? She is briefly in the story and has a pivotal role at the end helping to provide the prerequisite poignancy essential to a good Christmas story.
Originally written as a story to be heard on the radio, you might consider Matchless as your family read-aloud story this year. ~Patti