The Complete Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales

Book Description

Lilly Owens, ed. Illustrated edition of 159 cherished tales that have enchanted readers for generations. Includes The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor's New Clothes, Snow Queen, all uncut with beautiful illustrations by Arthur Rackham, Hans Richter, et al. 60 B&W illustrations. 816 pages.

Customer Reviews:

HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSON.......2007-08-06

MY GRANDKIDS WILL ENJOY THIS AS MUCH AS I DID AS A CHILD WHEN MY MOM READ TO ME. IT HAS ALL HIS WRITINGS.

Andersen deserves better.......2007-03-10

It is just sad that publishers like this one are opportunistic and know that just because Andersen is on the cover the book will sell. The translations are rickety and unreadable. And the quality of the book is disappointing. I immediately resold mine and bought another, far superior, volume. Don't get taken for a ride.

This book is for adults as much as children.......2006-10-27

Hans Chrisitian Andersen's fairy tales are incomparable. They have a level of depth absent in any other collection of fairy tales including the Grimm Brothers, Arabian nights etc...He amalgmates magic and reality and seals them in beautiful poetic expression. You will feel pain and love, rejection and hope, despair and persistence. The characters and images are sad yet impeccable. The tales are vivaciously symbolic of your dreams and reality. My favorite tales are The Red Shoes and The Little Mermaid(which is way different from Disney's version). They are a must-read.

Not for kids.......2006-07-09

I first read HCA when I was about 8 and I remember being baffled at their deviation from the standard "fairy tale" formula. They stayed with me however.
I bought this edition because I wanted to explore more of his work and I am very glad I did. I have finished about 3/4ths of this volulme and the richness, satire, obersvation, depth, humor and relevance of the themes continue to awe me. It's not a book for children but for those adults who want to go on adventures with a master storyteller.

Every one should read.......2006-02-25

This is the perfect gift for a child or adult of any age who enjoys reading.

The Complete Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales, Deluxe Edition (Literary Classics)

Average customer rating:

The Complete Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales, Deluxe Edition (Literary Classics)
Very Nice.
A good Book
Good quality

The Complete Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales, Deluxe Edition (Literary Classics)
Hans Christian Andersen
Manufacturer: Gramercy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Complete Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales, Deluxe Edition (Literary Classics (Gramercy Books))
Lewis Carroll: The Complete, Fully Illustrated Works, Deluxe Edition (Literary Classics)
Bulfinch's Mythology - Deluxe Edition
Mark Twain: Selected Works, Deluxe Edition (Burlesque Autobiography/the Prince)
Charles Dickens Four Complete Novels (Great Expectations, Hard Times, A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities)

ASIN: 0517229242
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Book Description

Here are all 159 tales written by Hans Christian Anderson, the master Danish storyteller, accompanied by illustrations from Arthur Rackham, Hans Richter, and other. These cherished tales include:

• "The Little Mermaid"

• "Thumbelina"

• "The Emperor's New Clothes"

• "The Snow Queen"

• "Ib and Little Christina"

• "The Princess and the Pea"

Customer Reviews:

The Complete Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales, Deluxe Edition (Literary Classics).......2007-09-10

Excellent edition, however I had hoped to receive one with colour plates rather than the black and white plates. This was my only disappointment. The book was luxuriously bound and beautifully put together. All the stories are there, and it is funny how ones memories can play tricks as I thought the description in the story The Tinder Box described one of the dogs as having 'eyes like saucers' when the book texted 'eyes like teacups' or 'eyes like towers'. I am in no position to argue, but the story still remains magical.

Worth having this in any serious book collection, but as the pages are quite fragile I would suggest avoiding letting children having free run of this in case it gets damaged, perhaps until they are at least about 8 with advanced reading capabilities.

Very Nice........2007-06-27

The Complete Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales, Deluxe Edition is a very nice book. Of course the fairy tales that we all love are in the book, but the book itself is pretty. I am very happy with it.

A good Book.......2007-03-09

This is a good book, I only wish that the pages were thicker and that the stories were spaced in a more, well, spacious way. the space between the end of one story and the begining of the next is only as big as a few lines. the type is also really small. None of this is really a problem, I understand that if they made the print larger, the spacing between stories larger, and made the pages thicker the book would probably weight 25lbs...and that would make reading it difficult wouldn't it? I am really glad that I got it.

Good quality.......2007-03-07

See my customer images.

The pages have gold-leafed edges, and there is a ribbon bookmark. There is also some metallic on the cover, and the illustrations on the inside are great. I have not read the text (giving it as a gift for a new baby), but the type is easy to read. The paper is of the super-thin Norton Anthology/Bible variety (hence the 4 stars), but anything thicker would make the book large and heavy, so understood. That said, read it to your kids, but don't let them play with it too hard or you'll probably end up with torn pages. The price of this book is great though, for a decent quality hardback that is a full collection.

Fairy Tales from Hans Christian Andersen: A Classic Illustrated Edition (Classics Illustrated)

Average customer rating:

Destined to be a Collectors Item

Fairy Tales from Hans Christian Andersen: A Classic Illustrated Edition (Classics Illustrated)
Hans Christian Andersen
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Classic Treasury of Aesop's Fables (Children's Illustrated Classics)
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The Golden Book of Fairy Tales (Golden Classics)

ASIN: 0811802302

Book Description

The entrancing world of toys, animals, magical kingdoms, and mystical beings is magnificently brought to life by master storyteller Hans Christian Andersen in this, the fourth title in Chronicle Books' extremely successful Classic Illustrated Edition series. Beautifully illustrated with charming turn of the century pictures by such notable artists as Arthur Rackham, Maxwell Armfield, and Edmund Dulac, this stunning book is a visual feast for children and adults alike.

This collection contains the following stories:

The Emperor's New Clothes
The Little Mermaid
The Little Match Girl
The Nightingale
The Princess and the Pea
The Steadfast Tin Soldier
Thumbelina
The Tinderbox
The Ugly Duckling

Customer Reviews:

Destined to be a Collectors Item.......2001-04-09

A superb collection of nine favorite H.C.A. stories (see below), wonderously illustrated with something like a hundred hig-quality reproductions, at least half of which are full-page, drawn from the work of twenty of the greatest artists from the "Golden Age" of children's book illustration (around the turn of the century). The art is simply mind-blowingly beautiful.

The tellings themselves are very fine. The language used is both delightful and sophisticated, making this a fine volume to entertain good readers amongst older children, and to expand their language skills. Of course, less able readers and younger children might like the stories just as well if they were read to them. There is no information in the book or on the publishers website regarding the origins of these particular tellings.

A sample paragraph, from "Thumbelina":

"Then they came to the warm lands. The sun was shining much more brightly, the sky was twice as high, and the most wonderful green and black grapes were growing by the roadside and on fences. Lemons and oranges hung in the forests, and there was a scent of myrtle and curled mint, and pretty children were running by the roadside playing with big colorful butterflies. But the swallow flew still further, and everything became even more beautiful. There, beneath magnificent green trees by a blue lake, stood a shining white palace, with vines climbing up it's lofty pillars. At the top were lots of swallows' nests, and the swallow carrying Thumbelina lived in one of them."

This collection contains the following stories:

The Emperor's New Clothes The Little Mermaid The Little Match Girl The Nightingale The Princess and the Pea The Steadfast Tin Soldier Thumbelina The Tinderbox The Ugly Duckling

The compilers, Russell Ash and Bernard Higton, must be very proud of the beautiful object they have produced. The publisher, Cronicle Books, deserves praise and support.

Amazon.com

Three-time Caldecott Honor artist and four-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, Jerry Pinkney doesn't disappoint with this lovely, old-fashioned, richly textured watercolor adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's The Ugly Duckling. The mother duck knew from the very beginning that one of her babies would be different from the rest... the sixth egg was large and oddly shaped. When it finally hatches that summer, she thinks the "monstrous big duckling" must be a turkey chick! Other ducks are appalled by the ugly duckling, and he is chased, pecked, and kicked aside. When he can't stand it anymore, he runs away from the pond, eventually taking refuge in the warm cottage of an old woman with a cat and a hen. Missing the delicious feeling of the water too much to stay, however, he heads out again into the wide, increasingly cold autumn world.

One day, he heard a sound of whirring wings, and up in the air he saw a flock of birds flying high. They were as bright as the snow that had fallen during the night, and their long necks were stretched southward. Oh, if only he could go with them! But what sort of companion could he be to those beautiful beings?"

At last, after a hard, cold winter--and plenty of the kind of adventures no one really wants to have--the duckling sees the same flock of birds he'd seen in the sky so many months ago. He decides he will follow them, somewhat dramatically preferring to be killed by them rather than suffer any more "cold and hunger and cruelty." Much to his surprise, they welcome him! And when he looks for his dull, awkward reflection in the water, he sees a beautiful swan instead. Children who feel ostracized, even for the tiniest of differences, may shed a few sympathetic tears for the ugly duckling. And no doubt, it was Andersen's wish to give them the hope of one day finding their own peaceful place. (Ages 3 to 9) --Karin Snelson

Book Description

For over one hundred years The Ugly Duckling has been a childhood favorite, and Jerry Pinkney's spectacular new adaptation brings it triumphantly to new generations of readers. With keen emotion and fresh vision, the acclaimed artist captures the essence of the tale's timeless appeal: The journey of the awkward little bird -- marching bravely through hecklers, hunters, and cruel seasons -- is an unforgettable survival story; this blooming into a graceful swan is a reminder of the patience often necessary to discover true happiness. Splendid watercolors set in the lush countryside bring drama to life.

Customer Reviews:

such a deep meaning between its light, childish writings..........2007-09-11

(This review is about the story and not about the specific content of the book)

Luis Mejia (son) - As a fan of more classic readings, I personaly got to appreciate Hans Christen Andersen as one of my favourite writters, not only because his beautiful, gorgeous tales are brought up for a sleepy kid who likes to hear a story from his dad, as he finally gets asleep with a smile, its because among all of his works, some may be totally written for putting on paper a story full of fantastic moments but without an implicit meaning, but in its underlying words, it can teach a lot about values, just like The Little Mermaid tales a great value and a deep, underlying meaning of true love, making hard decissions toward the theme, the beauty of love an its unreachable boundaries, but, among all of Andersen's writtigs, The Ugly Duckling is one of his two that makes me cry. Its heartful, touchy story about a little duck, who, like every alive creature in the world, even a real duck, just want to be accepted as a normal duck who wants to learn about the experience of life, even when he doesn't knows that, unfortunately, this doesn't go that way, his brothers and other mates would constantly pick on him, bothering him, making the poor duck cry, even his mother felt embarassed about having such an ugly duck, what's the meaning in this part of the story? When you are an adult, or a mature adolescent one gets it quickly, even its meaning about rejecting/bullying others because of any condition (as this is not focused on beauty, is focused on any aspect that it could be found) can be seen in modern society, and, as it later reflects on the ongoing story, it can have very sad effects. The duck, all alone even at his early life, goes onto a journey of searching his place or at least some love, and he fails a couple of times, here the meaning is another very deep one, life is about risks and chances, and nothing is sure, anyone can make mistakes in any moment of his life, even when they are sadder. And when, finally, he discovers a place where he wished he could live, he felt deeply attracted by this place and its animals, and, when these attractive animals come closer, the little ugly duckling was already been hurted, so he was even more scared, as these animals he was seeing where something really special, to the point of even thinking "It doesn't matter now, I would prefer to dye here, beside this beautiful creatures, even if they kill me, or I dye in the cold, instead of all alone outside" (it really says this) this part really touches my heart. But instead of finding strong rejection, he founds comprehension and acceptance, he is even regarded as one of those beautiful animals which he dreamed about!

For children, there's no way to search for a meaning here, as it may stay as a simple, short story, attractive because of talking animals and light emotions, and a very good one for putting to sleep a children, but for adults, this story is much more than that, the story coul've been made up to even 500 pages, although here the parts are clear, main rejection, something general instead of specific, a search for a true home, a couple of places with searched with failure, and his final transformation. So, the values that this story teaches are amazing and pretty recognizables, values like those of patience, love, comprehension, although the story's main point is clear: even in our hardest situations in life, at any age, at any time, we should always be hopeful and faithful, we'll have to start our journey for finding our place, as the duck did, we shall never give up, don't be the duck that dies in the cold or loses every hope, we'll make a lot of mistakes, go through many situations that gets us down in the road, but without giving up, as the duck who finds two places where he didn't fit as well (as well as it could've been a thousand places), and, even if the road seems eternal and unreachable, even if we've been through a lot of sad stories, even if we're all alone within any situation, we'll find our true home, the true love, our deeply desired place, we'll finally discover ourselves, and have a happy ending, living happy forever.

Plus, the gorgeous illustrations and sensitive way of telling the story in the book, makes it a really fantastic, pretty edition.

Know who you are.......2007-02-09

This book was absolutely wonderful, especially the illustrations. My children loved it. It was not just about being ugly, it was about knowing who you are, your roots, etc - self awareness and self-confidence. The poor duckling "thought" that he was ugly because he didn't know who he really was [a swan]. ...Because he was different from everyone around him, he believed that he was what everyone said he was -- ugly and worthless. The others picked on him because he was different. Once he discovered the truth of who he really was is when he was set free from the bondage of all the untruth that he heard. He discovered who he really was and flourished.

The Kind of Hope We All Need to Remember.......2006-05-12

A beautiful picture book on the Hans Christian Anderson tale. The Ugly Duckling is one of the world's most passionate childrens' stories of becoming. A wonderful book to read to remind a child what's possible no matter what. It's always a good thing to know one really is a swan ...underneath it all.

Honk!.......2005-06-23

"The Ugly Duckling" is one of those rare examples of the triumph of image over story. Anyone who's ever read, heard, or seen performed this story knows that there are elements to it that can make you feel a hair uncomfortable. After all, the moral of the tale is that it doesn't matter how awful your life has been just so long as you're beautiful and look like all the pretty people in the end. Even if we dislike what "The Ugly Duckling" is trying to say, though, it's hard not to be compelled by its striking images. The cygnet amongst the ducklings. The resentment directed at him by both the animal kingdom and humankind. And then, the slow realization that he is in fact the most beautiful creature in the entire world. If this story were a Grimm Brothers tale it would probably end with the duckling rubbing his newfound good looks in his siblings' faces. Fortunately, we're in Hans Christian Andersen territory here, and (more specifically) Jerry Pinkney territory as well. Mr. Pinkney has taken Andersen's original wordy version and pared it down to the point where contemporary children will understand and identify with it better. He's even changed the moral of the tale oh-so-slightly so that it's less lotsa-pain-equals-more-physical-beauty and more hard-work-will-lead-to-happiness-in-the-end. I'm not personally buying it, but that's the fault of Andersen. Not Pinkney.

In case you are not familiar with the original Andersen version (and isn't it remarkable that there isn't a Disney version out there somewhere?) here's the lowdown. One day a mother duck finds that one of her eggs is different from the others. No explanation of this is ever given. Pity. When the eggs hatch the largest/different one takes a long time to crack open and when it does it exhibits a large ugly grey "duckling". Immediately, trouble starts. Other ducks bite the duckling's head and its brothers and sisters join in. It gets so depressed that when a dog passes it over as a meal it can only think, "I am too ugly even for a dog to eat". A woman, a cat, and a chicken all find the duckling to be utterly useless. It freezes in a pond and flees the nice man that frees it. Finally after multiple trials and countless tribulations the duckling turns into a swan, meets up with its brethren, and discovers the beauty of ... um... beauty.

No deep insights in this one. Now normally I don't much care for Jerry Pinkney's illustrations. I found his "John Henry" to be a bit slapdash and his "Noah's Ark" lacking. For some reason though, "The Ugly Duckling" works. When you consider that I don't usually like the story and I don't usually like the illustrator, the fact that I like the two when combined is just plum weird. It's not that the story has improved much. But under Pinkney's hand it becomes tolerable. Sure, it's still mighty depressing to see the poor little duckling bitten, screamed at, and teased. But when he's beautiful, there's no arguing with his looks.

In the end, I tip my hat to Pinkney's guts. Some people will pooh-pooh this review because they feel I'm criticizing the story and not the edition itself. Blarney. You can't separate this book from the tale on which it's based. I'm still not a fan of "The Ugly Duckling". I think it teaches the wrong lessons in a clumsy way. But Jerry Pinkney has given us perhaps the only edition of the original story that's readable in this day and age. For that reason alone the book deserves its Caldecott Honor.

The Ugly Duckling.......2005-06-06

I read the book The Ugly duckling by Jerry Pinkney.
The book is about a ugly duckling,everyone is mean to him. One day he got fed up with them so he ran away to a pond but there was a shoot off . So he immediately ran off. After awhile he came across a old ladies house. Her animals were mean to him so he went to a pond.In the winter he froze and a farmer gets him out.He did not like them either so he ran away. In the spring he finds out he is a wonderful swan.
I enjoyed the book because I never heard the part when he got frozen. The theme is never be down about the way you look because you might look better when you get older. This book didn't have good word choice and all the words were easy I liked that.The conflict is he is ugly and everyone is mean to him.The illustrations were very full. the character is the ugly duckling. There are many different version. The intended audience is kids who are not beautiful so they don't feel bad about themselves.

Average customer rating:

Great stories, nicely read, but volume way too low

Andersen's Fairy Tales 2CD
Han Christian Andersen , and Hans Christian Andersen
Manufacturer: Naxos Audiobooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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Thumbelina And Other Fairy Tales (Junior Classics)

Accessories:

Sony WMFX479 Walkman

ASIN: 9626340126
Release Date: 1995-03-21

Customer Reviews:

Great stories, nicely read, but volume way too low.......2006-11-27

This 2CD set contains some of Andersen's best fairy tales, from Emperor's Clothes (how did the guy come up with such a fabulous satire?) to the sad Little Match Girl (it always drives me to tears). It's well read by an English voice actress. The longer stories are broken into separate tracks -- this is just very thoughtful and useful, unlike some fairy CDs that put all the stories on one single track. The producers should be lauded for this nice, common-sense feature.

Two issues: (1) Minor: the accent is British English which I love but which may annoy some American parents; (2) Major: the mastering volume was set to way too low. I turned the volume on my Cambridge Soundworks hi-fi to 85% or more and it barely sounds okay. I'm a classical music aficionado and usually I set the volume at about 40-45% even for the quietest piano or oboe solo works, so the fact I had to crank up the volume all the way to max speaks volumes about the poor mastering of the CD.

But at such a low price, this CD set is a bargain and I really love the stories. I guess I'll get a nice amplifier in the future anyway.

Average customer rating:

an original touch
Even Mermaids Die of a Broken Heart
beautiful story and loved the artwork
ANOTHER TREASURE FROM LISBETH ZWERGER

The Little Mermaid
Hans Christian Andersen
Manufacturer: Minedition
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0698400011

Book Description

Once there was a little mermaid who fell in love with a human boy . . . The story may be familiar, but Lisbeth Zwerger's art makes this fairytale seem brand-new. This Jubilee edition, celebrating 200 years of Hans Christian Andersen, is superbly illustrated in Zwerger's signature style. Known for her popular and award-winning editions of classics such as The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland, Zwerger is herself the recipient of the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for lasting contributions to children's literature. The Little Mermaid is sure to win her new fans, and to delight her old ones.
The text is an all-new translation by Anthea Bell, and includes many lovely and poignant details that may be new to even those who think they know the little mermaid's story well.

Customer Reviews:

an original touch.......2007-07-12

One shouldn't expect the cliche' in this book's artistic approach. It is original and understandable, making it possible for children and adults alike to have an image of Hans Christian Andersen's wording. Although quite few images are present, they are infact very nice and pleasing to look at.

Even Mermaids Die of a Broken Heart.......2006-05-12

This is the true story of The Little Mermaid. Unlike the Disney version where she gets the prince, the mermaid dies of a broken heart when the Prince whose life she saved marries another. The tragedy of the ending is what made the original version so touching. A beautiful mermaid gives up her voice, her family, her life in the sea in order to be with the one she loves. The promise is the love and the soul of sacrifice. It was a love dependant on another, being the Prince, and the risks she took were considerable. When the Prince falls for the woman he thought rescued him at sea it is the end of the Little Mermaid's quest for eternity. But since she doesn't kill him and his new bride she gets what she wanted all along ... a soul ... and no longer needs the Prince to live as a spiritual being in eternity. Not only is the little mermaid free from the curse of the Sea Witch but she earns her soul on her own volition. The Prince was merely a conduit to her wish. It is more poignant this way since the little mermaid no longer needs to earn love from anyone except herself.

[...]

"Among the daughters of the air," answered one of them. "A mermaid has not an immortal soul, nor can she obtain one unless she wins the love of a human being. On the power of another hangs her eternal destiny. But the daughters of the air, although they do not possess an immortal soul, can, by their good deeds, procure one for themselves. We fly to warm countries, and cool the sultry air that destroys mankind with the pestilence. We carry the perfume of the flowers to spread health and restoration. After we have striven for three hundred years to all the good in our power, we receive an immortal soul and take part in the happiness of mankind. You, poor little mermaid, have tried with your whole heart to do as we are doing; you have suffered and endured and raised yourself to the spirit-world by your good deeds; and now, by striving for three hundred years in the same way, you may obtain an immortal soul."

The little mermaid lifted her glorified eyes towards the sun, and felt them, for the first time, filling with tears. On the ship, in which she had left the prince, there were life and noise; she saw him and his beautiful bride searching for her; sorrowfully they gazed at the pearly foam, as if they knew she had thrown herself into the waves. Unseen she kissed the forehead of her bride, and fanned the prince, and then mounted with the other children of the air to a rosy cloud that floated through the aether.

"After three hundred years, thus shall we float into the kingdom of heaven," said she. "And we may even get there sooner," whispered one of her companions. "Unseen we can enter the houses of men, where there are children, and for every day on which we find a good child, who is the joy of his parents and deserves their love, our time of probation is shortened. The child does not know, when we fly through the room, that we smile with joy at his good conduct, for we can count one year less of our three hundred years. But when we see a naughty or a wicked child, we shed tears of sorrow, and for every tear a day is added to our time of trial!"

beautiful story and loved the artwork.......2005-07-20

Growing up, Disney's version of this story was probably my favorite movie. Id really never known that there was a book until I came across it in the library(which is silly, because this is something of a classic.)

Reading this book rather enraged me. The ending is quite different from the Disney ending and I dont understand why they felt the need to change it. This is a lovely tale of unrequited love as well as failure and disapointment. Every story need not have a happy ending and unfortunately most children's tales do. Maybe Im a pessimist, but it seems that stories where everything works out in the end might be sending children the message of a perfect world where disapointment is out of the norm.

I just wish there were more stories of this sort to give kids a more realistic view of their future, because they have to learn sooner or later.

ANOTHER TREASURE FROM LISBETH ZWERGER.......2004-10-18

Bias admitted up front: I'm a huge fan of Lisbeth Zwerger. It would be nigh on to impossible to select my favorite from the many children's books she has illustrated. I think of the irreplaceable "Wizard of Oz" with a perky little Dorothy in her apron and red hat or the wonderful "Hansel and Gretel" with the rosy cheeked girl pushing the dreadful witch into an oven. One could go on and on. Each time I come across another book illustrated by Zwerger I think it's even better than what has come before.

This Vienna born artist has a vision, I think, and she brings this to each of her works. She has been quoted as saying that her favorite authors are the Grimm Brothers, Charles Dickens, and Hans Christian Andersen. Yet, when she paints, she does not see these stories as they've been presented in the past but with a completely fresh approach. That's certainly true with her paintings for "The Little Mermaid."

Begin with the end papers, shiny reflections of water's depths and then our first view of the sea king's castle with its coral walls and shell roof - dwarfed by the immensity of the sea. Each full page painting is framed in white, adding to the pristine quality of the images. Sea shells and fish decorate margins. Zwerger brings both wit and understanding to her work; it's unlike any other and totally captivating.

Surely, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the translation from the Danish by Anthea Bell. Here is no Disney mermaid, but the fully realized story as written by Andersen, full of wonder and hope.

Yes, "The Little Mermaid" would make a wonderful gift, but you'd best buy two - one to keep and enjoy.

- Gail Cooke

The Classic Treasury of Hans Christian Andersen

Average customer rating:

Strictly a children's version
Andersen memories
A BEAUTIFUL TREASURY OF MAGICAL STORIES!

The Classic Treasury of Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen
Manufacturer: Courage Bks.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 076241393X

Customer Reviews:

Strictly a children's version.......2006-11-07

I love Andersen's fairy tales, and was disappointed to find that, though the illustrations are lovely, this is only an edited selection of a few tales. It is suitable as a gift for a child, but not for anyone seriously interested in Andersen's original work.

Andersen memories.......2006-10-26

The glorious adventures found in Andersen's book gave my imagination
a scaffold to climb. I still remember, at four, sitting near my mother on the sofa, looking at the full-color pictures, as she read about Thumbelina, the Tinder Box, and the Three Billy Goats Gruff. Does it get any better than that?

A BEAUTIFUL TREASURY OF MAGICAL STORIES!.......2003-03-16

I have grown up loving fairy tales, and I collect books of fairy tales. I happened to be at [the store] one day, sometime before Christmas, and I noticed Christian Birmingham's book of Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol". I looked at it for a while, surprised that I haven't seen any of this illustrator's previous work. I continued to look around and I found "The Classic Treasury Of Hans Christian Andersen". I looked at it, and was amazed at how magical and beautiful the illustrations were. All of the illustrations in this book capture the timeless fairy tales of Andersen perfectly. I was once again reunited with some of the stories I grew up loving like "The Little Mermaid", "The Little Match Girl", among others.
The luminous illustrations complement the black and white drawings so that it's just the right amount of artwork to capture pivotal scenes from the stories without overdoing it. I love the color illustrations of Thumblina flying through the air with her bird friend, the black and white drawing of the Little Mermaid saving the prince from drowning, the color illustration of the nightingale signing on the branch of blossoms as the captivated people watch it, and the black and white drawing of the Little Match Girl being taken to Heaven by her Grandmother. These are truly beautiful stories brought to life by an outstanding illustrator. Although you would expect all fairy tales to have perfectly happy endings, many of Andersen's do not. It is up to the reader to decide if the endings are happy or not. I would say they are bittersweet, but beautiful just the same. Anyone who is looking for an excellent book of these stories, or just for a good picture book, I HIGHLY recommend this!!!

Average customer rating:

Everybody is beautiful one way or another

The Ugly Duckling
H.C. Andersen , and Lisa McCue
Manufacturer: Golden Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0307121062
Release Date: 1990-01-15

Customer Reviews:

Everybody is beautiful one way or another .......2005-12-09

This is one of the fairy tale stories every parent should have in their bookshelves for their kids to enjoy and read while they are growing up, that actually have moral values for the kids to learn. I've enjoyed reading this when I was a kid and now when I have my own kids, I would definitely make sure they read this as one of their booklist.

This book is about a little duck who isn't like any of its brothers and sisters who are yellow and beautiful, and everybody calls it the "Ugly Duckling". It is ostracized by everybody it knows and due to this he runs away from home, growing up alone and have several little adventures of it's own, and one time wishing it is as beautiful as a swan.

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Hans Christian Andersen's Thumbelina
Lauren Mills
Manufacturer: Little, Brown Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Thumbelina
The Wild Swans
The Ugly Duckling
The Elves and the Shoemaker
Rapunzel (Caldecott Medal Book)

ASIN: 0316573590

Book Description

he story of the little girl so named because of her tiny size is one of the most popular and enduring fairy tales of all time. Children can identify with the plucky heroine who uses cleverness instead of size and strength to make her own way in the wide, wide world. Lauren Mills's delicate watercolors create a miniature land where a walnut shell covered with violet petals serves as a bed, a leaf becomes a suitable umbrella, and field mice and birds are Thumbelina's unlikely companions. Enchanting details drawn from nature bring this imaginative story to life.

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Close to the original
The stories sparkle!
This really is the best!

Fairy Tales
Hans Christian Andersen , and Jackie Wullschlager
Manufacturer: Viking Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

The Annotated Brothers Grimm
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The Classic Treasury of Hans Christian Andersen

ASIN: 0670033774

Book Description

A gawky, dreamy boy, Hans Christian Andersen grew up to become a profoundly imaginative writer and storyteller who revolutionized literature for children. Andersen gave us the now standard versions of some traditional folk tales as well as original stories that have enchanted generations of readers. To commemorate the bicentennial of his birth, Viking will publish a new translation of thirty of his extraordinary tales, illustrated with Andersen's own paper cuts. From the exuberant early stories such as “The Tinderbox” and “The Emperor's New Clothes” through poignant masterpieces such as “The Little Mermaid” and “The Ugly Duckling,” to darker, more subversive later tales written for adults, the stories here are endlessly experimental, humorous and irreverent, sorrowful and strange. Tiina Nunnally's sparkling new translation captures—for the first time in English—the vibrancy of Andersen's voice. Compiled by Andersen's biographer Jackie Wullschlager, who also contributes notes and a captivating introduction, this volume will be a major literary event that will dazzle readers young and old.

Customer Reviews:

Close to the original.......2007-01-10

This translation of the original Danish seem to match well the stories I grew up to like back in Scandinavia. If you want to get close to the mind of HC Andersen, this is a good bet.

For younger children some of the stories may be inappropriate. For example, "the Red Shoes" has a girl getting her feet chopped off for her sins. In general, HC didn't necessarily believe in happy endings, so be aware. This is a non-Disney fairy tale book.

The book's binding and pages are a bit stiff, but not overly. It is not too heavy either, so it works well when reading loud in bed.

The stories sparkle!.......2005-04-27

We just got this book for my 8 year old daughter and I've been reading the stories to her. This book shows what a truly great story teller Hans Christian Anderson was! His stories sparkle! When I first got the book I was disappointed because the pictures are not at all spectacular. Upon reading the stories, the pictures don't matter at all. Anderson paints the pictures in your mind and you are just transported into his stories. The words are the pictures. My daughter and I are both enjoying this wonderful literature! I highly recommend the book to anyone wanting to introduce their child to truly wonderful classics.

This really is the best!.......2005-03-31

I've read several versions of many of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales; since I also read Danish, I can confirm that this is definitely the closest to his style of any translation I've ever seen. Nothing is added, nothing is omitted, and all his unique strangeness shines through in English at last.

Andersen was the first Danish author to break out of the mold of both neoclassicism and romanticism which preceded him, and his genius lay in writing as if he were telling the stories out loud to a group of children -- in the earlier, simpler tales -- and in capturing all the sorrow and joy of life in his later tales for adults. You may think you know these stories (no, there are no singing crabs in "The Little Mermaid," one of the more painful stories you will ever read), but you're in for a big surprise. Finally a translator who dares NOT to rewrite, explain, and simplify Hans Christian Andersen! Truly a magnificent edition in celebration of the author's bicentennial on April 2, 2005. (Read the biography by Jens Andersen too, it's a real eye-opener.)

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