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Hans Brinker
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In full:
Hans Brinker; or, The Silver Skates
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Hans Brinker
Hans Brinker Hans and Gretel, illustration from an edition of Mary Mapes Dodge's Hans Brinker.

Hans Brinker

novel by Dodge
Also known as: ā€œHans Brinker: or, The Silver Skatesā€
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History

Hans Brinker, novel for children by Mary Mapes Dodge, published in 1865.

The story is set in the Netherlands and concerns the fortunes of the impoverished Brinker family. The good deeds of the Brinker children (Hans and Gretel) help to restore their fatherā€™s health and bring about their own good fortune. The plot of the novel, however, is secondary to informative details about Dutch family life and to considerable history and geography of the country, which Dodge had never visited.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.