The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen. Putnam, 1987 (illus.).

This was one of my favorite picture books as a child. In the late 80s I was an older child—8ish. Anyway, I so felt for the little girl’s plight. I loved her sad courage, her imagination, and her escape at the end.

Reading it now though, it’s very sad. If this were my child’s favorite book, I might be worried.