Open the pages of this magnificent volume and enter the fairy-tale realm of Hans Christian Andersen! In a playful design that echoes Andersen's passion for miniature theaters, artist Joel Stewart depicts such well-known characters as the pea-sensitive Princess and the unclothed Emperor as actors on a timeless stage. Expert commentary by Naomi Lewis offers historical and biographical points of interest, revealing that "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" is the first fairy tale ever to feature a nonhuman hero (now a hallmark of children¹s literature) and that "The Ugly Duckling," considered Andersen's autobiography, is a tale he especially loved to read aloud. In thirteen of his most enduring tales, savor the singular voice of this literary giant — the "washerwoman's crazy son" who became one of the best-known storytellers of all time.

The princess and the pea -- The tinderbox -- Thumbelina -- The emperor's new clothes -- The little mermaid -- The steadfast tin soldier -- Wild swans -- The flying trunk -- The ugly duckling -- The nightingale -- The snow queen -- The little match girl -- The goblin at the grocer's.