Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales. Second Series is a collection of fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen. Andersen was a Danish author and poet mostly known for his fairy tales for children. Excerpt: "FAR away, in the land to which the swallows fly when it is winter, dwelt a king who had eleven sons, and one daughter, named Eliza. The eleven brothers were princes, and each went to school with a star on his breast and a sword by his side. They wrote with diamond pencils on golden slates and learned their lessons so quickly and read so easily that every one knew they were princes. Their sister Eliza sat on a little stool of plate-glass and had a book full of pictures, which had cost as much as half a kingdom. Happy, indeed, were these children; but they were not long to remain so, for their father, the king, married a queen who did not love the children, and who proved to be a wicked sorceress."

A wonderful collection of 11 of Hans Christian Andersen's most well-loved fairy tales illustrated by the charming colour plates and black and white line drawings of Anne Anderson. Stories Include: The Drop of Water; The Tinder Box; The Ugly Duckling; The Little Match-Girl; The Garden of Paradise; Little Tuk; The Little Mermaid; The Nightingale; The Marsh King's Daughter; Mother Elder; and The Daisy. Many of the earliest children's books, particularly those dating back to the 1850s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Pook Press are working to republish these classic works in affordable, high quality, colour editions, using the original text and artwork so these works can delight another generation of children. About the Author: Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was a Danish poet and author celebrated for his children's stories but perhaps best known for his immortal Fairy Tales meant for both adults and children and frequently written in a colloquial style to veil their sophisticated moral teachings. He broke new ground in terms of style and content by using idioms and constructions of spoken language in a way that had previously not been seen in Danish literature. His poetry and stories have been translated into over 150 languages, inspiring a wealth of films, plays and ballets. About the Illustrator: Anne Anderson (1874-c.1940) was a Scottish illustrator chiefly noted for her Art Nouveau children's book illustrations that display fluidity typical of the movement. Characteristic of her work are decorative and lightly drawn or painted illustrations of neatly dressed children, neatly dressed with pear-shaped faces. Anderson's work has been compared to that of Jessie M. King, a contemporary.