Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
New York : Grosset & Dunlap, [1945]
Description
"Every man's life is a fairy-tale written by God's fingers." - Hans Christian Andersen. Although April 2, Andersen's birthday, is celebrated as International Children's Book Day, the beloved Dane and author of more than 138 fairytales wrote with a depth and sentiment that far exceeded mere bedtime stories. Few tales have been told that match the wit of The Emperor's New Clothes, the poignancy of The Little Match Girl, or the redemptive purity of The Wild Swans. Listeners both young and young-at-heart will enjoy this collection of freshly narrated classic tales.
User reviews
LibraryThing member footenoter
Many of Hans Andersen's stories, such as The Little Mermaid, The Little Matchgirl and The Steadfast Tin Soldier, reflect a Victorian sensibility that even children must have a personal familiarity with death, having siblings and grandparents who have died. Stories that include the death of the
Death is not a big theme in modern children's literature! Some libraries even put these books in a special section since some parents feel strongly they are not appropriate for their children. And where death appears, it is presented as an unexpected, unusual tragedy, a violation of an assumption that every story, and every life, will have a happy ending.
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principle character are appropriate for them. And these deaths are presented as a part of life, in some cases not only inevitable, but better than the alternative (The Little Match Girl).Death is not a big theme in modern children's literature! Some libraries even put these books in a special section since some parents feel strongly they are not appropriate for their children. And where death appears, it is presented as an unexpected, unusual tragedy, a violation of an assumption that every story, and every life, will have a happy ending.
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LibraryThing member SaintSunniva
Weird illustrations by the amazing Arthur Szyk add an unsettling tone to the Andersen we all know and love.
LibraryThing member gamermom2004
I love fairy tales and these are some of the best and are great classics.
LibraryThing member diasukie
No date, leather spine,
Published by Hurst & Company
Published by Hurst & Company
LibraryThing member Meredy
Six-word review, nth reread of 1923 edition:
Beloved childhood treasure still enchants me.
Beloved childhood treasure still enchants me.
LibraryThing member jmcdbooks
Rated: B+
Wonderful tales told with a child-like perspective. Many of Disney's classics owe a debt to Andersen.
Wonderful tales told with a child-like perspective. Many of Disney's classics owe a debt to Andersen.
LibraryThing member goosecap
I think that every Christian interested in books should read Plato’s Republic and Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales, or at least one or the other. I say Christians because some Christians still look askance, out of misconceived loyalty, to every book not a book of sermons or the Bible, but
I loved “The Little Mermaid”, is I think the one, a fine sad old love story that does not end in a marriage and cannot even begin to be reduced to a romcom flick. This is a story on which the gospel has breathed…. It is all for love; it is all to win your soul; it is not necessarily for the rewards of this life; it is not for us to revenge ourselves with petty, blood-soiled hands. Rather patience and deeds of love and faith cause us to be regenerate. It’s a holy story, no less pretty than a dialogue of Plato and no less worthy of careful and studious attention than the moral philosophy of Socrates. Amen amen, love is wise.
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there are books with a sense of say love or justice with a different lineage. People alienated from the church for whatever reason might also discover love or justice in these books upon which something holy has breathed, and discover that intelligent and/or kind sort of teacher, which the schoolboy bully Christian has perhaps led them to believe is the enemy of the church. I loved “The Little Mermaid”, is I think the one, a fine sad old love story that does not end in a marriage and cannot even begin to be reduced to a romcom flick. This is a story on which the gospel has breathed…. It is all for love; it is all to win your soul; it is not necessarily for the rewards of this life; it is not for us to revenge ourselves with petty, blood-soiled hands. Rather patience and deeds of love and faith cause us to be regenerate. It’s a holy story, no less pretty than a dialogue of Plato and no less worthy of careful and studious attention than the moral philosophy of Socrates. Amen amen, love is wise.
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Language
Original language
Undetermined
Original publication date
1872
2016
2015
1945
Physical description
4 p.; 24 cm