Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales
The Ugly Duckling, Thumbelina, and Other Stories
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- $3.99
Publisher Description
The fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen have inspired, frightened, and amused readers since they were first published in 1835. Readers will recognize the little mermaid who makes a deal with a sea witch in the hopes of winning a prince's heart; the conceited emperor who is swindled by two men who claim to be weaving magical cloth, invisible to all but the most worthy; and the young queen who risks her life to save her brothers from the terrible curse that has changed them all into wild swans. This collection of the Danish author's most famous stories also includes "The Ugly Duckling," "Thumbelina," and "The Snow Queen." This unabridged version is compiled from the 1914 edition of the First Series and the 1915 edition of the Second Series, with illustrations by Edna F. Hart.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Zwerger, who has illustrated several Andersen tales as individual picture books, here presents an oversized storybook collection of eight, ranging from the readily familiar (``The Emperor's New Clothes''; ``The Princess and the Pea'') to others that will be new to many readers (``The Rose Tree Regiment''; ``The Jumpers''). She provides a few full-page pictures, at most, for each--just enough to sketch a character, suggest a scene and offer a jumping-off point for the reader's vision. Her lines are characteristically dainty, her palette strong and true--a combination reminiscent of the color plates that frequently embellished texts of yore. Noted translator Bell's retellings are literal and literary, with a leisurely, somewhat old-fashioned feeling created by long, lyrical sentences and descriptions and frequent exclamations and addresses to the reader; they are a fitting match for Zwerger's elegant style. The opening selection, ``The Sandman,'' is, unfortunately, the longest, most rambling and diffuse, and the most clearly European; but after this somewhat difficult beginning, the collection opens a rich world to the reader willing to invest time and imagination in these classic renditions. Ages 4-up.
