The Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen

The fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen have enchanted children and adults alike for over a hundred and fifty years. The twelve stories in this new collection include old favorites such as "The Nightengale," "The Ugly Duckling," and "The Princess and the Pea," as well s some less-known tales such as "The Snowman" and The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep."

These tales show the many facets of Andersen's unique genius. By turns romantic and practical, sentimental and comic, straightforward and ironic, they can provide both an evening's entertainment and continued food for thought.

Neil Philip's sparkling new translation aims to capture Andersen's relaxed, conversational style, often lost in older literary versions. In his introduction, Philip considers Andersen's life and achievements and hails him as one of the greatest artists ever to write for children.

The stories are illustrated by Isabelle Brent with glowing pictures full of rich decorative detail reminscent of Gustav Klimt. Her use of gold leaf brings a sense of glittering wonder to every page - a sense of wonder just right for contemplating Andersen's masterful stories.