A little sea princess, longing to be human, trades her mermaid’s tail for legs, hoping to win the love of a prince and earn an immortal soul for herself.
Picture Book
East O’ the Sun and West O’ the Moon
A girl travels east of the sun and west of the moon to free her beloved prince from a magic spell.
Stories from Hans Christian Andersen
Eleven fairy tales by the master storyteller are retold in a voice that is fresh and inventive and yet always true to the spirit of Andersen. The jaunty, playful illustrations add to the fun, bringing out with humor and verve all the childlike aspects of the tales.
The Ladder
A ladder, long forgotten on a lonely lane, sets out to see the world, but finds that people and animals keep using it to climb into the sky and disappear.
The Ugly Duckling
An ugly duckling spends an unhappy year ostracized by the other animals before he grows into a beautiful swan.
The Perfect Wizard: Hans Christian Andersen
A biography of the famous Danish writer of fairy tales, interspersed with excerpts from his stories.
The Tinderbox
With the help of a magic tinderbox given to him by a witch, a soldier finds a fortune and pursues a princess imprisoned in a castle, in an edition of a classic tale of dark adventure.
The Steadfast Tin Soldier
One of Hans Christian Andersen’s most romantic tales, The Steadfast Tin Soldier tells the story of a one-legged tin soldier who suffers a terrible fate all for the love of a beautiful paper dancer. Cursed by a jealous goblin, the toy solider is sent flying out the window to the street below, where a perilous adventure carries him ever further from his love. But throughout his ordeal, the soldier remains sturdy and staunch on his one leg, ever true to his beloved little dancer.
The Ugly Duckling
An ugly duckling spends an unhappy year ostracized by the other animals before he grows into a beautiful swan.
The Swineherd
A prince disguises himself as a swineherd and learns the true character of the princess he desires. After the author of this story finishes relating it, his animal audience presents an alternative ending.