Product Description

A New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year

Brave Irene is Irene Bobbin, the dressmaker's daughter. Her mother, Mrs. Bobbin, isn't feeling so well and can't possibly deliver the beautiful ball gown she's made for the duchess to wear that very evening. So plucky Irene volunteers to get the gown to the palace on time, in spite of the fierce snowstorm that's brewing-- quite an errand for a little girl.

But where there's a will, there's a way, as Irene proves in the danger-fraught adventure that follows. She must defy the wiles of the wicked wind, her most formidable opponent, and overcome many obstacles before she completes her mission. Surely, this winning heroine will inspire every child to cheer her on.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17498 in Books
• Published on: 1988-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780374409272
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
When her mother, a dressmaker, falls ill, indomitable Irene fights a raging snowstorm to deliver a dress in time for the duchess's ball. A Michael di Capua Book. Ages 3-up.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 1-4 Fans will enjoy this typical Steig myth, although it lacks the surprise and logic of his best stories. It isn't a fit night out for man nor beast when Irene pluckily forges on through wind and snow to deliver the ball gown that her ill mother has stitched for the duchess. The dramatic pictures of brave Irene's painful journey will engage children's sympathy, but children will also wonder why the dressmaker's child didn't stay home with her sick mother, however grateful the duchess was. The magic just isn't here. Anna Biagioni Hart, Sherwood Regional Library, Alexandria, Va.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"Despite a raging snowstorm, Irene, a dressmaker's daughter, offers to deliver the duchess's newly finished ball gown...With sure writing and well-composed, riveting art, Steig keeps readers with Irene every step of the long way."--Starred, Booklist

"One of Steig's simplest stories [and] one of his best, a tale that has the force of a legend."--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"William Steig's Brave Irene has the timeless quality of a classic fairy tale."--Publishers Weekly
-- Review

Customer Reviews

We read it over and over again.
At age three I started reading Brave Irene to my daughter. She is now nine years old and it remains her all time favorite book. Back then we would read it at least tree times a week or more. Still, Now every once in awhile, Annie comes to me and says " can we read Brave Irene together". The story is about a young girl Irene who seems to be maybe nine or ten years old. Her mother is a dressmaker and has made a gown for the dutches for her ball.Unfortunatley her mother isn't feeling to well and can't get the gown to dutches in time for the ball.Irene being a very responsible, carring, and BRAVE child,Wants to help her mom. So she takes the gown to the dutches. She has some problems along the way, But because of her love for her mother, she is determined to get the job done. I feel that there are many lessons this book can teach a child. The main one being,CARRING. Our first copy of this book is so worn out, I recently bought a new one..

A plucky fairytale
I really enjoy reading Brave Irene to my little girl for several reasons. The language used by Stein is beautiful - it's such a marvellous book for introducing new and unusual words for pre-school children. It also provides such inventive descriptions - also great for showing how you can apply your imagination to words! I completely disagree with those who think it puts children in a position of danger. Rot! It's a fairytale - not a story of reality. And fairytales allow children to enter worlds they would never have the opportunity to do so in real life and allow them to be brave and go on amazing adventures - this is precisely what Brave Irene does and it does it so well. Irene is so plucky and so independent and solves problems so well! And she's a girl! So nice to have a "girl" hero like this! And most of all - my three year old loves Brave Irene - she gasps in the right places and cheers her on and marvels at her determination. Brave Irene has opened yet another vista of opportunity for my little girl's imagination and love of books. Well done William Steig!

Classroom pleaser
my son's second grade teacher read this to the class when they were comparing "pesky" words vs. "flashy" words and this book is full of GREAT words that second graders need to hear. sure she's a child in a messy situation but that's the deal in fairy tales. it's up to irene to get out of trouble on her own but she does it, in a mighty plucky fashion too!