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Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales are like exquisite jewels, drawing from us gasps of recognition and delight. Andersen created intriguing and unique characters -- a tin soldier with only one leg but a big heart, a beetle nestled deep in a horse's mane but harboring high aspirations. Each one of us at some time, has been touched by one of Andersen's Fairy Tales. Here you'll find his classic tales such as: "The Mermaid, Thumbelina, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, "and "The Ugly Duckling," 38 of your favorite tales in all. This deluxe Children's Classic edition is produced with high-quality, leatherlike binding with gold stamping, full-color covers, colored endpapers with a book nameplate. Some of the other titles in this series include: Anne of Green Gables, Black Beauty, Heidi, King Arthur and His Knights and The Secret Garden.
244 pages, Hardcover
Published October 1, 1995
140 people are currently reading
3625 people want to read
About the author
Hans Christian Andersen
7,452 books3,471 followersHans Christian Andersen (often referred to in Scandinavia as H.C. Andersen) was a Danish author and poet. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, Andersen is best remembered for his fairy tales. Andersen's popularity is not limited to children; his stories — called eventyr, or "fairy-tales" — express themes that transcend age and nationality.
Andersen's fairy tales, which have been translated into more than 125 languages, have become culturally embedded in the West's collective consciousness, readily accessible to children, but presenting lessons of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity for mature readers as well. Some of his most famous fairy tales include "The Little Mermaid", "The Ugly Duckling", "The Nightingale", "The Emperor's New Clothes" and many more. His stories have inspired plays, ballets, and both live-action and animated films.
Andersen's fairy tales, which have been translated into more than 125 languages, have become culturally embedded in the West's collective consciousness, readily accessible to children, but presenting lessons of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity for mature readers as well. Some of his most famous fairy tales include "The Little Mermaid", "The Ugly Duckling", "The Nightingale", "The Emperor's New Clothes" and many more. His stories have inspired plays, ballets, and both live-action and animated films.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
August 5, 2015
Collections like these are wonderful.
Whether you want to read through the full collection or you’re simply looking for a single fairy tale, it is up to you. It’s so good for picking and choosing the fairy tales as you see fit. In all honesty, though, I would recommend giving all the fairy tales a read as it is great to be able to sit and read them all in their glory.
Whether you want to read through the full collection or you’re simply looking for a single fairy tale, it is up to you. It’s so good for picking and choosing the fairy tales as you see fit. In all honesty, though, I would recommend giving all the fairy tales a read as it is great to be able to sit and read them all in their glory.
February 3, 2011
My copy of this book was handed down to me by my Father. It is an ancient book with brown pages and a missing dust jacket. It looks like it was printed in the 40’s but I can’t be sure because the book does not contain a verso.
The first tale is that of the stork and in keeping with the theme of the book is undeniably sweet, but also twisted. There are definitely morals behind each and every tale, but not all the morals are ones I necessarily share. Possibly because of their heavily Christian undertones.
Some of the stories could be very hit and miss but I did enjoy learning about the macarbe truths of stories such as the little mermaid where the witch, instead of just taking the little mermaid’s beautiful singing voice, cuts out her tongue.
The little mermaid is then given a potion which grants her legs but to walk on them feels like being stabbed by a thousand knives and in the end the prince doesn’t even fall in love with her, which of course kills the mermaid (literally).
She gave up her life, her family and her voice just to have him marry someone else. But it’s all meant to be okay because she ends up going to heaven for all she has sacrificed.
It was interesting to see how the stories were originally written and how much Disney changed them completely.
I particularly liked the stories ‘The Nightingale’ and ‘The Daisy’.
The first tale is that of the stork and in keeping with the theme of the book is undeniably sweet, but also twisted. There are definitely morals behind each and every tale, but not all the morals are ones I necessarily share. Possibly because of their heavily Christian undertones.
Some of the stories could be very hit and miss but I did enjoy learning about the macarbe truths of stories such as the little mermaid where the witch, instead of just taking the little mermaid’s beautiful singing voice, cuts out her tongue.
The little mermaid is then given a potion which grants her legs but to walk on them feels like being stabbed by a thousand knives and in the end the prince doesn’t even fall in love with her, which of course kills the mermaid (literally).
She gave up her life, her family and her voice just to have him marry someone else. But it’s all meant to be okay because she ends up going to heaven for all she has sacrificed.
It was interesting to see how the stories were originally written and how much Disney changed them completely.
I particularly liked the stories ‘The Nightingale’ and ‘The Daisy’.
December 5, 2022
Poveștile lui Andersen m-au fermecat în copilărie și continuă să o facă, atât de magice, dar înțelepte; oricând ne simțim lipsiți de speranță ar trebui să ne întoarcem la ele.
Top trei:
- Fetița cu chibrituri;
- Rățușca cea urâtă;
- Prințesa și bobul de mazăre.
"Realitatea întrece adesea chiar și cele mai frumoase vise."
"A călatori înseamnă a trăi."
Top trei:
- Fetița cu chibrituri;
- Rățușca cea urâtă;
- Prințesa și bobul de mazăre.
"Realitatea întrece adesea chiar și cele mai frumoase vise."
"A călatori înseamnă a trăi."
July 1, 2019
What I expected interesting but won't pick up again...
August 18, 2020
Tuổi thơ của tôi đã có Andersen và con trai tôi cũng sẽ thế.
April 25, 2010
This collection contains forty of Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tales. It begins with “The Princess and the Pea” and “Thumbelina” and concludes with “The Book of Fairy Tales.” Well-known favorites such as “The Snow Queen,” “The Wild Swans,” “The Steadfast Tin Soldier,” “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” and “The Little Mermaid” are intermingled with less well-known stories such as “The Shadow” and “The Fir-Tree.” Neil Philip’s introduction gives the reader a sense of who Hans Christian Anderson was as a person, and Isabelle Brent’s mosaic-like borders and use of rich colors and gold leaf give the entire book the feel of a medieval illuminated manuscript. The illustrations give the reader the sense of looking through a window into the story, and they perfectly echo the tone of each story, sometimes sweet, sometimes funny, and often tinged with just a bit of sadness. Hans Christian Anderson’s stories were originally published between 1835 and 1837.
January 16, 2018
top 3 tales
- the little mermaid
- the ice maiden
- the wild swans
- the little mermaid
- the ice maiden
- the wild swans
May 28, 2022
the pros of this book: different stories that vary greatly in theme and entertainment value
the cons of this book: different stories that vary greatly in theme and entertainment value
Not my favorite Andersen compilation, if I'm gonna be honest. I read a falling-apart 1973 version at my grandparents house that I liked much better, which could be because it had two stories in particular that I was very fond of: The Steadfast Tin Soldier and The Little Match Girl. I'm not even sure I read the whole thing, but I do know that I found it a bit more enjoyable than this one.
The fact that this volume doesn't include The Little Match Girl is a tragedy in itself, but what mostly disappointed me is that its main attraction—The Snow Queen—didn't quite live up to the hype for me. There was something about the writing style in that one that I didn't click with. In general, everything else was a mix of meh, interesting, and compelling enough. But personally, this isn't my favorite arrangement.
The Shadow, though? Enough to bump up the rating. Now that's the sort of content I was looking for from the start.
3.5 stars.
the cons of this book: different stories that vary greatly in theme and entertainment value
Not my favorite Andersen compilation, if I'm gonna be honest. I read a falling-apart 1973 version at my grandparents house that I liked much better, which could be because it had two stories in particular that I was very fond of: The Steadfast Tin Soldier and The Little Match Girl. I'm not even sure I read the whole thing, but I do know that I found it a bit more enjoyable than this one.
The fact that this volume doesn't include The Little Match Girl is a tragedy in itself, but what mostly disappointed me is that its main attraction—The Snow Queen—didn't quite live up to the hype for me. There was something about the writing style in that one that I didn't click with. In general, everything else was a mix of meh, interesting, and compelling enough. But personally, this isn't my favorite arrangement.
The Shadow, though? Enough to bump up the rating. Now that's the sort of content I was looking for from the start.
3.5 stars.
January 4, 2025
2.5/5
Ein Großteil der Märchen handelt von Tieren und Gegenständen - was jetzt nicht unbedingt mein Fall ist. Außerdem hat in dem Buch das Märchen von der Prinzessin auf der Erbse gefehlt. Die Illustrationen waren aber gut gezeichnet.
Ein Großteil der Märchen handelt von Tieren und Gegenständen - was jetzt nicht unbedingt mein Fall ist. Außerdem hat in dem Buch das Märchen von der Prinzessin auf der Erbse gefehlt. Die Illustrationen waren aber gut gezeichnet.
April 3, 2021
It was a nice little fairy tale, I liked it.
September 17, 2020
Yes, I've read every fairy tale I could get my hands on as a child. That includes Slovenian folks tales which you will never get your hands on.
July 24, 2009
Anderson, H.C. (1995). Fairy tales of Hans Christian Anderson. New York: Viking.
Summary:
A compilation of Hans Christian Anderson fairy tales, including: The Princess and the Pea, Thumbelina, The Wild Swans, The Nightingale, The Ugly Duckling, The Snow Queen, The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep, The Shadow, It’s Perfectly True!, Grief, Father’s Always Right, and The Snowman. There is an Introduction by Neil Philip, who details some of Hans Christian Anderson’s life and comments son a few of his works. The illustrations are few and far between- this isn’t a book for primary readers, although could be used as a read-aloud for that age group.
Reviews/Awards:
Horn Book Guide 3/1/1996
Publisher's Weekly 12/11/1995
School Library Journal 12/1/1995
Booklist 11/15/1995
Kirkus Review 10/15/1995
Curriculum Connection:
Use this collection of 12 stories to help 3rd graders write fractured fairy tales in writing.
Grades: K-6
Summary:
A compilation of Hans Christian Anderson fairy tales, including: The Princess and the Pea, Thumbelina, The Wild Swans, The Nightingale, The Ugly Duckling, The Snow Queen, The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep, The Shadow, It’s Perfectly True!, Grief, Father’s Always Right, and The Snowman. There is an Introduction by Neil Philip, who details some of Hans Christian Anderson’s life and comments son a few of his works. The illustrations are few and far between- this isn’t a book for primary readers, although could be used as a read-aloud for that age group.
Reviews/Awards:
Horn Book Guide 3/1/1996
Publisher's Weekly 12/11/1995
School Library Journal 12/1/1995
Booklist 11/15/1995
Kirkus Review 10/15/1995
Curriculum Connection:
Use this collection of 12 stories to help 3rd graders write fractured fairy tales in writing.
Grades: K-6
November 25, 2018
I have always loved fairy tales and Hans Christian Andersen is the author of some of the best ever written. The whimsical prose, fanciful characters, and richly embellished detail allow each story to give wings to the reader’s heart and send it sailing off to fantasy land. Oh Hans, no one does it better than you. Reading this was an especially incredible experience because my mom gifted me a gorgeous collectors edition of this book for an early Christmas present, complete with full color illustrations that capture the fantastical worlds of fairies, ghosts, goblins, elfs, witches, kings, queens, and knights in shining armor. It was such a pleasure to read and enjoy. This is a book I’ll spend my life going back to. 💜
December 16, 2015
This is where so many stories began. The ugly duckling, the princess and the pea, the emperor's new clothes... Stories that I grew up with. They are simple and yet they carry morals and meanings. Some that I agree with and some that I don't. But I find it amazing that such a short story can carry so much meaning. I would love to master such in my own writing!.
I've known for a long time that these stories were originally written by Hans Christian Andersen but this is the first time I have gone and read them. I listened to an audio version over at Librivox, you can listen here:
I've known for a long time that these stories were originally written by Hans Christian Andersen but this is the first time I have gone and read them. I listened to an audio version over at Librivox, you can listen here:
June 18, 2016
„M-ai răsplătit destul, zise privighetoarea. Am smuls lacrimi ochilor tăi, când ți-am cântat întâia oară. Și niciodată n-am să le mai uit; astea-s diamantele care ating sufletul unui cântăreț. Dar acum dormi, ai nevoie de odihnă ca să te întremezi, dormi, eu voi cânta înainte.”
Poveștile lui Andersen sunt cu adevărat frumoase, exceptând faptul că în unele dintre ele apare moartea sub diferite forme, lucru pe care îl găsesc nepotrivit, fie ea și înfățișată drept grădinar. Știu că urmăream cu mult drag animațiile când eram copil și lucrul acesta nu s-a schimbat între timp.
Poveștile lui Andersen sunt cu adevărat frumoase, exceptând faptul că în unele dintre ele apare moartea sub diferite forme, lucru pe care îl găsesc nepotrivit, fie ea și înfățișată drept grădinar. Știu că urmăream cu mult drag animațiile când eram copil și lucrul acesta nu s-a schimbat între timp.
February 6, 2017
3.5
I listened to the audio book and I don't know what version I was listening to, but it didn't include some classics I really want to read such as The Little Mermaid and Thumbelina. However, there were some of what I thought were really beautiful stories in my version which I also felt had a spark of originality lacking in a huge number of classic fairy tales. On the other hand, some of the moral undertones of the stories were so outdated that it was difficult to enjoy these.
I listened to the audio book and I don't know what version I was listening to, but it didn't include some classics I really want to read such as The Little Mermaid and Thumbelina. However, there were some of what I thought were really beautiful stories in my version which I also felt had a spark of originality lacking in a huge number of classic fairy tales. On the other hand, some of the moral undertones of the stories were so outdated that it was difficult to enjoy these.
April 20, 2016
Es saprotu, ka bērnu uztvere atšķiras no pieaugušo, un tomēr nav forši uz nakti lasīt kā nogriež galvu līgavainim, iestāda to podiņā un uzziedēja brīīīnišķīgas puķes...
Vai zaldāts apkauj karali ar karalieni, lai ar princesi dzīvotu "ilgi un laimīgi". Ar to laikam jāiemāca bērnam dzīves cikls.. utt
Manējie pēc šīm lūdza palasīt vēl kaut ko citu, lai nenākot murgi :-D
Vai zaldāts apkauj karali ar karalieni, lai ar princesi dzīvotu "ilgi un laimīgi". Ar to laikam jāiemāca bērnam dzīves cikls.. utt
Manējie pēc šīm lūdza palasīt vēl kaut ko citu, lai nenākot murgi :-D
August 28, 2015
I love his tales.
June 4, 2018
Everyone need to grow up enough to read fairy tales again. And again.
August 18, 2017
Some of them sad, some eye-opening, few not-so-bad, couple kinky, several hilarious, one or two just admirable. You've got to now at least a dozen.
October 9, 2021
Very dated, and mostly preachy. Dnf.
February 15, 2022
The LIFE is just like the collection of fairy tales!
“Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.”
~ C.S. Lewis
One definition of what separates us from other species is our ability to construct narratives from our random thoughts, memories, and imaginings.
We are a species of storytellers.
How and why we construct stories remains a mystery, one being explored by biologists, anthropologists, psychologists, neuroscientists, and researchers in semiotics and linguistics. One common thread in the research is that stories help us make sense of our lives.
Fairy tales present simple and complex stories that are still relevant as guides to the archetypal patterns in our unconscious minds.
They are also teaching stories and cautionary tales that speak to the mythopoeic in our psyches, that aspect of our minds that think in metaphor and symbol
While the earliest folk tales emerged from peoples who possessed a less sophisticated notion of the world, their repertoire of emotions and the stories they wove around them were not dissimilar to our own.
Greed, loneliness, jealousy, sorrow — these continue to be our human burden.
The best way to discover the wisdom of fairy tales is to write your own!
Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. ~Robert Breault
All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Life is a game, play it; Life is a challenge, Meet it; Life is an opportunity, Capture it.
~ Unknown
Besides,
Everything will be okay in the end. If it is not okay, it's not the end.
~John Lennon
IMAGINE | BELIEVE | ACHIEVE
Heart Believes & Mind Achieves!
“Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.”
~ C.S. Lewis
One definition of what separates us from other species is our ability to construct narratives from our random thoughts, memories, and imaginings.
We are a species of storytellers.
How and why we construct stories remains a mystery, one being explored by biologists, anthropologists, psychologists, neuroscientists, and researchers in semiotics and linguistics. One common thread in the research is that stories help us make sense of our lives.
Fairy tales present simple and complex stories that are still relevant as guides to the archetypal patterns in our unconscious minds.
They are also teaching stories and cautionary tales that speak to the mythopoeic in our psyches, that aspect of our minds that think in metaphor and symbol
While the earliest folk tales emerged from peoples who possessed a less sophisticated notion of the world, their repertoire of emotions and the stories they wove around them were not dissimilar to our own.
Greed, loneliness, jealousy, sorrow — these continue to be our human burden.
The best way to discover the wisdom of fairy tales is to write your own!
Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. ~Robert Breault
All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Life is a game, play it; Life is a challenge, Meet it; Life is an opportunity, Capture it.
~ Unknown
Besides,
Everything will be okay in the end. If it is not okay, it's not the end.
~John Lennon
IMAGINE | BELIEVE | ACHIEVE
Heart Believes & Mind Achieves!
April 25, 2021
I enjoyed reading the originals of beloved tales such as The Ugly Duckling, Thumbelina, The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Princess and the Pea, The Little Mermaid and the Tin Soldier.
One of my favorites of the tales that were new to me is probably his foretelling of Americans who would travel by flying steam engines (he imagined airplanes before his time!) and say they had seen Europe in a week.
I also really enjoyed “What One Can Invent.” Here a man wanted to be able to invent something so that he could be a poet. He struggles, believing everything has already been invented. He consults a wise woman who tells him to write down his thoughts “Write that down! Even crumbs are bread.” She temporarily gives him her spectacles and ear trumpet. “Have an ear to hear and the right heart to feel and you will soon invent something.” As a creative myself the wise woman’s words really hit me. Even when it feels as if inspiration has run dry, small steps can lead to creative breakthroughs.
One of my favorites of the tales that were new to me is probably his foretelling of Americans who would travel by flying steam engines (he imagined airplanes before his time!) and say they had seen Europe in a week.
I also really enjoyed “What One Can Invent.” Here a man wanted to be able to invent something so that he could be a poet. He struggles, believing everything has already been invented. He consults a wise woman who tells him to write down his thoughts “Write that down! Even crumbs are bread.” She temporarily gives him her spectacles and ear trumpet. “Have an ear to hear and the right heart to feel and you will soon invent something.” As a creative myself the wise woman’s words really hit me. Even when it feels as if inspiration has run dry, small steps can lead to creative breakthroughs.
July 3, 2023
Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales are like exquisite jewels, drawing from us gasps of recognition and delight. Andersen created intriguing and unique characters -- a tin soldier with only one leg but a big heart, a beetle nestled deep in a horse's mane but harboring high aspirations. Each one of us at some time, has been touched by one of Andersen's Fairy Tales. Here you'll find his classic tales such as: "The Mermaid, Thumbelina, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, "and "The Ugly Duckling," 38 of your favorite tales in all. This deluxe Children's Classic edition is produced with high-quality, leatherlike binding with gold stamping, full-color covers, colored endpapers with a book nameplate. Some of the other titles in this series include: Anne of Green Gables, Black Beauty, Heidi, King Arthur and His Knights and The Secret Garden.
December 8, 2020
This children's book was supposed to be read when you are young, adolescent, and an adult. The stories will not change but your perspective will.
This book not just talks about death or heartbreak or really for children. It is more than that. It is accepting death, accepti g heartbreak, facing consequences, and learn things the hard way.
Always listen to elders. They may have nit experience what we have experience right now because of the changing world but there are some cases that we experienced what they have experienced before.
This book not just talks about death or heartbreak or really for children. It is more than that. It is accepting death, accepti g heartbreak, facing consequences, and learn things the hard way.
Always listen to elders. They may have nit experience what we have experience right now because of the changing world but there are some cases that we experienced what they have experienced before.
August 10, 2021
I still enjoyed reading classic tales like The Emperor’s New Clothes and The Little Match Girl. I quite enjoyed some tales I had never heard before, namely Little Claus and Big Claus. Some of the tales had very religious and at times patriarchal overtones, a symptom of the times, which made them difficult to get through. I did love his focus on nature and his ability to turn toys, animals and flowers into characters.
March 12, 2025
such dreamy descriptions, honestly liked the sad ones. some were boring but that’s okay. i’m not a religious person but i did enjoy the religious aspects as well. my favorite stories are; “The Mermaid” i like the sad ending ngl, “The Little Match Girl”, “What The Moon Saw”, “The Story of a Mother” was especially enjoyable and sad and real, “The Marsh King’s Daughter” i heavily enjoyed even though it had heavy religious elements, and an honorable mention “The Ugly Duckling” sad and cute ending!
March 3, 2021
Cuentos muy interesantes y divertidos, este autor a hecho muchos de los cuentos más famosos del día de hoy, como La Sirenita, El Nuevo Traje del Emperador, El Soldadito de Plomo, etc... además de que es un clásico y pues como todos los clásicos, aprendes mucho de ellos. Muy buenos cuentos, los recomiendo para gente de todas las edades.
January 20, 2024
Having recently read a collection of Grimms fairy tales, I found Andersen’s fairy tales that much more interesting. The differences in purpose, and style, etc that I never knew existed were so fascinating.
It was definitely not “my favorite book” by any means but as content for my upcoming Fairy Tales class it was most intriguing!
Audiobook
It was definitely not “my favorite book” by any means but as content for my upcoming Fairy Tales class it was most intriguing!
Audiobook
May 11, 2025
This particular version is the one our daughters grew up with. The illustrations by Isabelle Brent are very colorful, but more icon-ish, to my untrained eye. We no longer have the dust jacket, but the book is still in excellent condition and the tales seem to be in the original language, not simplified for children, although I have not verified that. Read this many many years ago.
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