Anderson’s Fairytales

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY 1 APR 2001

Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales, edited and illus. by Lisbeth Zwerger, trans. by Anthea Bell, originally published in 1991, includes three additional stories, and its new design matches Zwerger's Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz. The 11 tales include the familiar ("The Little Match Girl") and the lesser-known ("The Sandman"). Zwerger's signature watercolors come alive in full-page illustrations elegantly and simply framed in a band of white. From grief-stricken Thumbeline leaning over the dead swallow to the self-deluded, nearly naked emperor admiring himself vainly in the mirror, the artwork conveys a range of emotions. ( May)