Tales of Hans Christian Andersen (Works in Translation) - Hardcover

Andersen, Hans Christian

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0763625159 ISBN 13: 9780763625153

Publisher: Candlewick, 2004

Synopsis

Rediscover thirteen of Andersen's best-loved tales in this definitive edition — highlighted with introductions by an esteemed translator and illuminated with fanciful artwork from an acclaimed illustrator.

Open the pages of this magnificent volume and enter the fairy-tale realm of Hans Christian Andersen! In a playful design that echoes Andersen's passion for miniature theaters, artist Joel Stewart depicts such well-known characters as the pea-sensitive Princess and the unclothed Emperor as actors on a timeless stage. Expert commentary by Naomi Lewis offers historical and biographical points of interest, revealing that "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" is the first fairy tale ever to feature a nonhuman hero (now a hallmark of children¹s literature) and that "The Ugly Duckling," considered Andersen's autobiography, is a tale he especially loved to read aloud. In thirteen of his most enduring tales, savor the singular voice of this literary giant — the "washerwoman's crazy son" who became one of the best-known storytellers of all time.

About this title

From the Inside Flap:

Hans Christian Andersen called his life a fairy tale, but as Naomi Lewis points out in her introduction, "Fairy tales also have their darker side." Though he rose from the obscurity of the slums to become one of the most famous men in the world, Andersen was often plagued by self-doubt and financial insecurity, just as the protagonists of his stories are faced with terrible trials - but of course, it is these dark moments that are among the most memorable aspects of his work. From the more than one hundred and sixty tales that Andersen wrote, thirteen of his best are brought to life by Naomi Lewis and Joel Stewart in this volume, including "The Princess and the Pea," "Thumbelina," "The Emperor's New Clothes," "The Little Mermaid," "The Ugly Duckling," and "The Snow Queen."

Irresistible humor, beguiling conversational style, the invention of giving speech to objects...the hallmarks of Hans Christian Andersen's style are to found here in abundance, their brilliance undiminished by time.

About the Author:

Naomi Lewis is a leading authority on the works of Hans Christian Andersen, several of whose works she has translated, including THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES and THE SNOW QUEEN, both illustrated by Angela Barrett. A fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, she has won the Eleanor Farjeon Award for services to children's literature. Naomi Lewis lives in London.

Joel Stewart studied at Falmouth College of Art, graduating with a degree in illustration. He is the illustrator of the highly acclaimed picture books JABBERWOCKY and THE ADVENTURES OF A NOSE. Joel Stewart lives in Cornwall, England.

About this edition

• Publisher: Candlewick
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0763625159
• ISBN 13: 9780763625153
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 208
• Illustrator: Stewart Joel