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 childrens 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.