One winter night, the shadows are interrupted at their games as the Shadowland watchman sees a poor little match girl standing barefoot in the snow in a town in the real world. Deserting his post, he dashes to her rescue, lighting match after match to keep the girl warm. But matches bring shadows, and soon the two worlds–of people and of shadows–are in an uproar, and the watchman and the little match girl must run for their lives.
- ISBN: 9780531083413
- Author: Anno, Mitsumasa
- Illustrator: Anno, Mitsumasa
- Published: 1988 , Orchard Books
- Themes: Rescues, shadows
- Descriptors: Asia, Fantasy, Intermediate (ages 9-14), Japan, Picture Book
- No. of pages: 32