Brave Irene - by William Steig

About the Book

Plucky Irene, a dressmaker's daughter, braves a fierce snowstorm to deliver a new gown to the duchess in time for the ball.

Book Synopsis

This winning heroine will inspire every child to cheer her on as she ventures through a bitter cold snowstorm in the classic story Brave Irene by William Steig, the Caldecott and Newbery Medal-winning creator of Shrek!.

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.

Review Quotes

A New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year

"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." --Booklist, starred review

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

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

About the Author

William Steig (1907-2003) was a cartoonist, illustrator and author of award-winning books for children, including Shrek!, on which the DreamWorks movies are based; the Caldecott Medal-winner Sylvester and the Magic Pebble; The Caldecott Honor book The Amazing Bone; and the Newbury Honor Books Abel's Island and Doctor De Soto. Stieg also published thirteen collections of drawings for adults, including The Lonely Ones, Male/Female, and Our Miserable Life.