Sixteen ready-to-color scenes from tales by one of the world's great storytellers depict characters from "The Little Mermaid," "The Emperor's New Clothes," "The Princess on the Pea," "The Nightingale," "The Snow Queen," "The Ugly Duckling," and 10 other classics.

Originally published in 1924, this collection The Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen is illustrated with the magnificent Art Nouveau colour illustrations of Kay Nielsen. It was a project that took Nielsen twelve years to complete, and his illustrations perfectly capture the other-worldly spirit of Andersen's subject matter. It includes such well-known and loved tales as 'The Snow Queen', 'The Real Princess', 'The Hardy Tin Soldier' and 'The Nightingale.' 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 spoken language in a manner previously unseen in Danish literature. Though simple at first glance, the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen often convey sophisticated moral teachings; in equal measure heart-breaking and heart-warming. Kay Nielsen (1886-1957) was a Danish illustrator of the golden age of illustration. He was influenced by Japanese art and the Swedish folklore – becoming a crucial participant in the Art Nouveaux movement. His art is characterised by long, swooping lines, open spaces and a certain macabre, yet ephemeral quality. Presented alongside the text, his illustrations further refine and elucidate Andersen's masterful storytelling.

“If you like, I’ll tell you the story of a boy who learned to fly.” Through an enchanted conversation with a young girl in a horse-drawn coach, Hans Christian Andersen shares his life’s struggles, dreams, and triumphs—whose threads can be found woven into his greatest stories. He tells her about the “fairy tale of his life” and how the son of a shoemaker became a celebrated writer. Heinz Janisch paints a sensitive portrait of Andersen and his literary work. Maja Kastelic has developed a well-suited illustration concept for this story that combines sumptuous art of a picture book with elements of a graphic novel. Thus, for the first time, H. C. Andersen’s life and work become a fascinating collage in picture book form. A moving, inventive story about the life of Hans Christian Andersen.

Award-winning English illustrator Christian Birmingham--one of the rising stars of children's illustration--brings eight time-honored fairy tales to life in dazzling, full-color artwork for this charming collection. Sure to become a treasured part of any childhood library, this sumptuously illustrated book includes the read-aloud favorites The Ugly Duckling, Thumbelina, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Little Match Girl, The Little Mermaid, The Nightingale, and The Princess and the Pea.

Thumbelina -- The princess and the pea -- The snow queen -- The brave tin soldier -- The Emperor's new suit -- The little match girl -- The little mermaid -- The Christmas tree