Hans Brinker or The Silver Skates is a novel by Mary Mapes Dodge. Poor but hardworking 15-year-old Hans Brinker and his younger sister Gretel want to take part in December's great ice-skating race on the canal. They have little chance of doing well on their handmade wooden skates, but the prospect of the race and the prize of the silver skates motivate them and fuel their ambition. The story takes place in the Netherlands and is a vivid fictional portrait of early 19th century Dutch life, as well as a tale of youthful honor.