Fairy Tales and Folklore at SILS: Hans Christian Andersen

The book chronicles the fairy-tale like story of Andersen's life, describing how the eccentric Andersen came from a poor family, was ridiculed by other children, and struggled for many years before finally finding world-wide fame writing fairy tales such as The Ugly Duckling, Thumbelina, and The Nightingale.

Set in the magnificence of imperial China, it tells a tale of values. Which is most precious? A small grey bird with many beautiful songs or a mechanical bird with just one song but decorated all over with diamonds, rubies and sapphires?

The prince is looking for a true princess to be his wife, but all the girls he meets are too rude, too vain or too greedy. One stormy night a young lady knocks on the palace door claiming to be a princess, so the queen decides to put her to the test. Will she feel the pea underneath the huge pile of mattresses?

Maria Tatar celebrates the stories told by Denmark's "perfect wizard" and re-envisions Hans Christian Andersen as a writer who casts his spell on both children and adults. Andersen's most beloved tales, such as "The Emperor's New Clothes," "The Ugly Duckling," and "The Little Mermaid," are now joined by "The Shadow" and "Story of a Mother."

Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales contains The Mermaid, Thumbelina, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, and The Ugly Duckling (38 of your favorite tales in all).

Once there was a little mermaid who fell in love with a human boy . . . The story may be familiar, but Lisbeth Zwerger's art makes this fairytale seem brand-new. This Jubilee edition, celebrating 200 years of Hans Christian Andersen, is superbly illustrated in Zwerger's signature style.

Far out under the ocean, the Little Mermaid dreams of exploring the world above. When she finally turns sixteen, she is allowed to rise to the surface where she falls in love with a young prince. In order to be with him she must become a human, and so makes the most dangerous pact with the Sea Witch. A faithful adaptation of the original tale- find out what really happened to the Little Mermaid!

In a faraway kingdom, there lives an Emperor who prizes fancy clothes above all else. He buys suit after suit made of the most expensive materials instead of tending to his threadbare kingdom. Then, one day, two traveling merchants offer to make the Emperor a special suit that has magical powers. The merchants, however, are not who they claim to be, and the suit has one major flaw no one can see it!

As a young prince nears adulthood, the Queen tells him he must find a princess bride -- but not just any princess will do. Only a true princess will satisfy his mother. The young prince searches the entire kingdom, but returns home alone and sad. Late one stormy night, a mysterious woman knocks at the castle door. She claims to be a true princess, but the Queen has her doubts. So, she concocts a clever scheme to see if the princess is the real thing.

After seeking the help of a strange old woman, Gerta is amazed to see a tiny girl emerge from the blooming petals of a magical flower! Gerta has always wanted a child of her own, so she adopts the tiny maiden and names her Thumbelina. While Gerta sleeps, a strange creature creeps forth from the darkness and steals Thumbelina into the night. Lost and alone in a forest, Thumbelina must seek the aid of the forest creatures if she is to ever see Gerta again.

In a faraway land, perched upon her little nest, Mother Duck waits for her last remaining egg to hatch. When the odd little egg finally breaks open, Mother Duck is shocked to see an ugly duckling staring up at her. No one on the farm wants anything to do with the Ugly Duckling, and he is driven from the farm to fend for himself.