The Heartless Troll
The Heartless Troll
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Retold and illustrated by Øyvind Torseter
Translated from Norwegian by Kari Dickson
A fun twist on an old fairytale called "The Troll with No Heart," The Heartless Troll is about a troll who's hidden his heart and the seventh son of a king who goes in search of his six brothers. The young man's journey brings him to a mountain, a captive princess, and a terrifying troll. The illustrations are by turns fanciful and lovely as well as dark and terrifying, but a continuous thread of good humor and playfulness runs through the whole story.
ISBN: 978-1-59270-193-3
7" (W) x 9" (H) • 120 pages • HC
Grade Level: 5
Interest Level: 4-up
Lexile Level: 550
Guided Reading Level: V
AWARDS AND REVIEWS
★ "The delicate, spidery lines and dark landscapes of Torseter's panels combine the energy of Ralph Steadman, the effervescence of Jules Feiffer, and the charm of the Moomintrolls. Mordant grotesquerie vies with hilarity... Dickson's translation shines as well." —STARRED REVIEW, Publishers Weekly
★ "The story ends with Fred and the princess riding off on the horse to the refrains of an octopus playing a saxophone—an oddly perfect ending for this one-of-a-kind graphic novel." —STARRED REVIEW, The Horn Book
"Based on a Norwegian folktale, this story follows the trials of a hapless knight who must battle the feared troll. With a cynical horse piping in now and then, there is humor within this adventure story too! Øyvind's richly detailed illustrations take the readers on an extraordinary visual journey." —Art of the Picture Book
”The tale is filled with humor and adventure, and readers will enjoy Prince Fred's witty banter with his reluctant horse, the hungry wolf, the spirited princess, and the evil troll. […] A cute and charming option for fans of fairy tales.” —Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library, School Library Journal
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