The most beloved and popular collection in the realm of juvenile fiction. Each tale entertains, teaches and leaves a mark on the reader's heart and mind. Andersen blends together gentle humour, irony and fantasy to bring us characters that have enchanted readers through the ages. The best feature of these stories is that they teach useful lessons without being overtly moralistic. Utterly delightful!

More than 156 of the great Dane's best-loved fairy tales.

This definitive collection of work from Hans Christian Andersen—one of the immortals of world literature—not only includes his own notes to his stories but is the only version available in trade paperback that presents Andersen's fairy tales exactly as he collected them in the original Danish edition of 1874. Recognizing the literary merit of Andersen's own simple colloquial language, which Victorian translators and their imitators very often altered to sentimentalize or vulgarize, translator Erik Haugaard has remained faithful to the original text. The fairy tales Hans Christian Andersen wrote, such as "The Snow Queen," "The Ugly Duckling," "The Red Shoes," and "The Nightingale," are remarkable for their sense of fantasy, power of description, and acute sensitivity, and they are like no others written before or since. Unlike the Brothers Grimm, who collected and retold folklore, Andersen adopted the most ancient literary forms of the fairy tale and the folktale and distilled them into a genre that was uniquely his own.

A collection of nineteen of Hans Christian Andersen's most famous short stories, first published in 1912. Stories include: 'The Little Mermaid', 'The Emperor's New Clothes', 'Little Thumb', and 'The Snow Queen', 'The Galoshes of Fortune', 'The Red Shoes', 'The Wild Swans' and others. Hans Christian Andersen (1805 – 1875) was a Danish poet and author celebrated for his children’s stories but perhaps best known for his fables and fairy tales – meant for both adults and children. They were frequently written in a colloquial style, using idioms and spoke language in a manner previously unseen in Danish literature. Though simple at first glance, Hans Andersen Fairy Tales often convey sophisticated moral teachings, in equal measure heart-breaking and heart-warming. These tales are further enhanced by the wonderful watercolour illustrations of A. Duncan Carse - a lesser known though immensely accomplished artist and Golden Age illustrator. Andreas Duncan Carse (1876 - 1938) provided the illustrations for Lucy M. Scott’s Dewdrops from Fairyland in 1912 but it was Carse’s contributions to Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales that arguably solidified his reputation as an accomplished illustrator of children’s books. Pook Press celebrates the great ‘Golden Age of Illustration‘ in children’s classics and fairy tales – a period of unparalleled excellence in book illustration. We publish rare and vintage Golden Age illustrated books, in high-quality colour editions, so that the masterful artwork and story-telling can continue to delight both young and old.

This beautiful book, originally published in 1913, contains a collection of seventeen classic fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen. Stories include, The March King’s Daughter, The Snow Queen, The Storks, The Real Princess, The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling and more. These classic tales are accompanied by 16 incredible colour illustrations many beautiful and intricate black and white drawings by W. Heath Robinson. An English cartoonist and illustrator, best known for drawings of ridiculously complicated machines – for achieving deceptively simple objectives. Such was (and is) his fame, that the term ‘Heath Robinson’ entered the English language during the First World War, as a description of any unnecessarily complex and implausible contrivance. Hans Christian Andersen (1805 - 1875) was a Danish writer. He wrote many poems, travelogues, and plays, but he is most famous for his fairy tales, which have been translated into over 125 languages and continue to have a significant influence on western popular culture. This timeless collection would make for a worthy addition to any child’s bookshelf and is not to be missed by fans and collectors of Andersen’s illustrated works. We are republishing it here as part of our ‘Pook Press’ imprint, celebrating the golden age of illustration in children’s literature. We publish rare and vintage Golden Age illustrated books, in high-quality colour editions, so that the masterful artwork and story-telling can continue to delight both young and old.

Andersen's initial attempts at writing fairy tales were revisions of stories that he heard as a child. Andersen then brought this genre to a new level by writing a vast number of fairy tales that were both bold and original. Initially they were not met with recognition, due partly to the difficulty in translating them and capturing his genius for humor and dark pathos. It was during 1835 that Andersen published the first two installments of his immortal Fairy Tales (Danish: Eventyr; lit. "fantastic tales"). More stories, completing the first volume, were published in 1837. The collection comprises nine tales, including "The Tinderbox", "The Princess and the Pea", "Thumbelina", "The Little Mermaid", and "The Emperor's New Clothes". The quality of these stories was not immediately recognized, and they sold poorly. At the same time, Andersen enjoyed more success with two novels, O.T. (1836) and Only a Fiddler (1837); the latter was reviewed by the young Søren Kierkegaard. After a visit to Sweden in 1837, Andersen became inspired by Scandinavism and committed himself to writing a poem that would convey the relatedness of Swedes, Danes, and Norwegians. It was in July 1839, during a visit to the island of Funen, that Andersen first wrote the text of his poem, Jeg er en Skandinav ("I am a Scandinavian"). Andersen composed the poem to capture "the beauty of the Nordic spirit, the way the three sister nations have gradually grown together", as part of a Scandinavian national anthem. Composer Otto Lindblad set the poem to music, and the composition was published in January 1840. Its popularity peaked in 1845, after which it was seldom sung. Andersen spent two weeks at the Augustenborg Palace in the autumn of 1844. Andersen returned to the fairy tale genre in 1838 with another collection, Fairy Tales Told for Children. New Collection. First Booklet (Eventyr, fortalte for Børn. Ny Samling), which consists of "The Daisy", "The Steadfast Tin Soldier", and "The Wild Swans". The year 1845 heralded a breakthrough for Andersen with the publication of four different translations of his fairy tales. "The Little Mermaid" appeared in the periodical Bentley's Miscellany. It was followed by a second volume, Wonderful Stories for Children. Two other volumes enthusiastically received were A Danish Story Book and Danish Fairy Tales and Legends. A review that appeared in the London journal The Athenæum (February 1846) said of Wonderful Stories, "This is a book full of life and fancy; a book for grandfathers no less than grandchildren, not a word of which will be skipped by those who have it once in hand." Andersen would continue to write fairy tales, and he published them in installments until 1872.

The Complete Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen contains a collection of 127 enchanting stories that have captivated readers of all ages for generations. Andersen's literary style can be described as whimsical, imaginative, and filled with moral lessons that are woven seamlessly into each tale. The stories often feature anthropomorphic animals, magic, and elements of fantasy, making them beloved classics in the realm of children's literature. The book allows readers to delve into a world of wonder and imagination, where themes of love, friendship, and perseverance are explored in a magical setting. Andersen's works continue to stand the test of time, inspiring countless adaptations in various media forms. His influence on the fairy tale genre is undeniable, making this collection a must-read for anyone who appreciates timeless storytelling. Hans Christian Andersen's own experiences of hardship, rejection, and ultimate triumph are reflected in his fairy tales, which often carry underlying messages of resilience and hope. His ability to create vivid worlds and memorable characters is a testament to his skill as a storyteller and his deep understanding of the human experience. The Complete Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen is a true masterpiece that showcases the author's unparalleled creativity and imagination, making it a must-have for any lover of literature.