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Reading lists

The ultimate Eurovision-inspired reading list

A picture of several children's books that are perfect for fans of Disney's Frozen on a pink and blue ombre background with snowflakes

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Books for kids who are obsessed with Disney’s Frozen

The Little Mermaid and Other Tales

Be transported by the magic of Hans Christian Andersen's timeless fairy-tales, retold by Naomi Lewis, in this beautiful, collectable new Little Puffin Clothbound Classic. 
 
‘Never had she danced so beautifully’ 
 
From the powerful allegory of 'The Little Mermaid' to the fantastical tale of tiny 'Thumbelina’, this Little Puffin Clothbound Classic collects the most marvellously enchanting and enduringly timeless of Hans Christian Andersen's celebrated fairy-tales, retold by Naomi Lewis, into a perfectly giftable hardback edition. 
 
The Little Puffin Clothbound Classics collect some of the most beloved classic short stories for young readers into stunning, highly collectable small format editions. Bound in high-quality cloth with dazzling new foil-stamped designs, they're little enough to fit in a pocket and lovely enough to keep forever. Gift the best-loved classics to a new generation with Puffin’s gorgeously accessible Little Puffin Clothbound Classics collection.

Hans Christian Andersen (April 2, 1805 - August 4, 1875) was a Danish author and poet, most famous for his fairy tales. Among his best-known stories are The Snow Queen, The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina, The Little Match Girl, The Ugly Duckling and The Red Shoes. During Andersen's lifetime he was feted by royalty and acclaimed for having brought joy to children across Europe. His fairy tales have been translated into over 150 languages and continue to be published in millions of copies all over the world.

The Snow Queen

A Little Clothbound Classic bringing together Hans Christian Andersen’s most cherished Christmas tales in one timeless edition 
 
Step into the enchanting world of Hans Christian Andersen with this collection of timeless Christmas tales, capturing both the magic and melancholy of the season. This selection brings together Andersen’s most beloved works, from the magical journey of ‘The Snow Queen’ to the heart-breaking ‘The Little Match Girl’, and the tender reflections on the passage of time in ‘The Fir Tree’. Together these stories show how Andersen transformed the traditional fairy tale with his unique ability to blend exuberant whimsy and profound insight.

Hans Christian Andersen (Author) Hans Christian Andersen (April 2, 1805 - August 4, 1875) was a Danish author and poet, most famous for his fairy tales. Among his best-known stories are The Snow Queen, The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina, The Little Match Girl, The Ugly Duckling and The Red Shoes. During Andersen's lifetime he was feted by royalty and acclaimed for having brought joy to children across Europe. His fairy tales have been translated into over 150 languages and continue to be published in millions of copies all over the world. Tiina Nunnally (Translator) Tiina Nunnally is an award-winning translator (from Danish, Norwegian and Swedish) and novelist. She was awarded the prestigious PEN Translation Prize in 2001 for her translation of the third volume of Sigrid Undset's Kristin Lavransdatter, and her translations of Hans Christian Andersen and Tove Ditlevsen for Penguin Classics have been widely praised.

Step into the enchanting world of Hans Christian Andersen with this collection of timeless Christmas tales, capturing both the magic and melancholy of the season. This selection brings together Andersen’s most beloved works, from the magical journey of ‘The Snow Queen’ to the heart-breaking ‘The Little Match Girl’, and the tender reflections on the passage of time in ‘The Fir Tree’. Together these stories show how Andersen transformed the traditional fairy tale with his unique ability to blend exuberant whimsy and profound insight.

The Emperor's New Clothes

90 classic titles celebrating 90 years of Penguin Books 
 
Many years ago there lived an Emperor who was so terribly fond of beautiful new clothes that he spent all his money on dressing elegantly... 
 
Jewels in storytelling, these magical fairytales by Hans Christian Andersen were inspired by his own life as an outsider. From ‘The Little Mermaid’ to ‘The Red Shoes’, his fables show the ugliest of humanity – its power, greed, vanity – but also how suffering can lead to beauty.

Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was born in Odense, Denmark, son of a shoemaker and a washerwoman. He was the first writer to take the folk tale as a literary genre and create new stories, such as 'The Emperor's New Clothes', 'The Little Mermaid', 'The Ugly Duckling' and 'The Snow Queen'. His influence on children's literature is inestimable, yet his stories work on many levels. He died in Copenhagen in 1875.

Many years ago there lived an Emperor who was so terribly fond of beautiful new clothes that he spent all his money on dressing elegantly... 
 
Jewels in storytelling, these magical fairytales by Hans Christian Andersen were inspired by his own life as an outsider. From ‘The Little Mermaid’ to ‘The Red Shoes’, his fables show the ugliest of humanity – its power, greed, vanity – but also how suffering can lead to beauty.

Retold by Naomi Lewis

Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales

Puffin Classics: the definitive collection of timeless stories, for every child 
Rediscover the Puffin Classics collection and bring the best-loved classics to a new generation - including this charming edition of Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales. 
 
This enchanting collection, retold by writer and critic Naomi Lewis, contains twelve of Hans Christian Andersen's magnificent stories. It includes Thumbelina, a little girl no more than a thumb-joint high, The Emperor's New Clothes, the tale of a man who cares only for his appearance and The Little Mermaid, who longs to one day marry a human prince.

Rediscover the Puffin Classics collection and bring the best-loved classics to a new generation - including this charming edition of Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales. 
 
This enchanting collection, retold by writer and critic Naomi Lewis, contains twelve of Hans Christian Andersen's magnificent stories. It includes Thumbelina, a little girl no more than a thumb-joint high, The Emperor's New Clothes, the tale of a man who cares only for his appearance and The Little Mermaid, who longs to one day marry a human prince.

Festive Tales for a Nordic Noël

A Scandinavian Christmas

Ranging from Hans Christian Anderson to Karl Ove Knausgaard, have yourself a nordic noel with the very best Scandinavian Christmas tales 
 
Have yourself a truly Scandinavian Christmas... Of visions and prophesies seen in dark, dark woods. Of toys and trees come to life. Of trolls raising chaos, and of families torn apart -- only to be brought back together by festive cheer. 
 
In this collection, classic tales from Hans Christian Andersen and Nobel Prize winner Selma Lagerlof blend with modern day stories from Karl Ove Knausgaard and Vigdis Hjorth. Each touch on the warm and wild spirit of Christmas, where the cosiness and contentment of the season can often give way to the unexpected, magical and sometimes mystical. 
 
A smorgasbord of strange literary gifts, let A Scandinavian Christmas transport you to a winter wonderland in which fantasy, the fantastic and the festive combine for your reading delight. 
 
'These evocative, atmospheric tales...capture the spirit of Christmas' Sunday Express

These evocative, atmospheric tales...capture the spirit of Christmas

Sunday Express, *Christmas Gift Guide 2021*

A strange and beguiling series of stories, penned Scandinavia's literary greats, spanning three centuries... Beautifully decorated, this is a hardback any household would be proud to have adorn their coffee table

A hygge Christmas is assured with these folksy traditional and modern stories... Best enjoyed with a steaming glass of glögg

Saga Magazine, *Christmas Gift Guide 2021*

A gorgeous collection of classic tales from everyone from Hans Christian Anderson to Karl Ove Knausgaard. Magical tales of winter wonderlands of dark woods, you'll love this smorgasbord of festive short stories!

Hans Christian Andersen (Author) Hans Christian Andersen (April 2, 1805 - August 4, 1875) was a Danish author and poet, most famous for his fairy tales. Among his best-known stories are The Snow Queen, The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina, The Little Match Girl, The Ugly Duckling and The Red Shoes. During Andersen's lifetime he was feted by royalty and acclaimed for having brought joy to children across Europe. His fairy tales have been translated into over 150 languages and continue to be published in millions of copies all over the world. Karl Ove Knausgaard (Author) Karl Ove Knausgaard's My Struggle cycle has been heralded as a masterpiece all over the world. From A Death in the Family to The End, the novels move through childhood into adulthood and, together, form an enthralling portrait of human life. Knausgaard has been awarded the Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature, the Brage Prize and the Jerusalem Prize. His work, which also includes the Seasons Quartet and the Morning Star sequence (The Morning Star, The Wolves of Eternity, The Third Realm and The School of Night) is published in thirty-six languages. Selma Lagerlöf (Author) Selma Lagerlöf (1858-1940) was a teacher in a girls' secondary school before she became a full-time writer. She is known around the world for her classic children's book The Wonderful Adventure of Nils Holgersson and she was the first female writer to win the Nobel Prize in 1909.

Ranging from Hans Christian Anderson to Karl Ove Knausgaard, have yourself a nordic noel with the very best Scandinavian Christmas tales 
 
Have yourself a truly Scandinavian Christmas... Of visions and prophesies seen in dark, dark woods. Of toys and trees come to life. Of trolls raising chaos, and of families torn apart -- only to be brought back together by festive cheer. 
 
In this collection, classic tales from Hans Christian Andersen and Nobel Prize winner Selma Lagerlof blend with modern day stories from Karl Ove Knausgaard and Vigdis Hjorth. Each touch on the warm and wild spirit of Christmas, where the cosiness and contentment of the season can often give way to the unexpected, magical and sometimes mystical. 
 
A smorgasbord of strange literary gifts, let A Scandinavian Christmas transport you to a winter wonderland in which fantasy, the fantastic and the festive combine for your reading delight. 
 
'These evocative, atmospheric tales...capture the spirit of Christmas' Sunday Express

The Tinderbox

'There sat the dog with eyes as big as mill wheels' 
 
Though criticised for their anarchic immorality when first published, Hans Christian Andersen's tales made him an international star, taken to the hearts of children and adults for their beauty, sorrow and strangeness. Included here are 'The Steadfast Tin Soldier' and 'Big Klaus and Little Klaus'. 
 
Introducing Little Black Classics: 80 books for Penguin's 80th birthday. Little Black Classics celebrate the huge range and diversity of Penguin Classics, with books from around the world and across many centuries. They take us from a balloon ride over Victorian London to a garden of blossom in Japan, from Tierra del Fuego to 16th century California and the Russian steppe. Here are stories lyrical and savage; poems epic and intimate; essays satirical and inspirational; and ideas that have shaped the lives of millions. 
 
Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875). Andersen's Fairy Tales is available in Penguin Classics.

'There sat the dog with eyes as big as mill wheels' 
 
Though criticised for their anarchic immorality when first published, Hans Christian Andersen's tales made him an international star, taken to the hearts of children and adults for their beauty, sorrow and strangeness.

The Brave Tin Soldier & Other Fairy Tales

Four classic fairy tales from Hans Christian Andersen, read by David Tennant, Anne-Marie Duff, Sir Derek Jacobi and Penelope Wilton.

Here are four of Hans Christian Andersen's best-loved short stories, specially adapted for young children and read by some of Britain's most well-known actors.   In 'The Brave Tin Soldier', read by David Tennant, a one-legged toy soldier falls in love with a paper ballerina.   In 'Thumbelina', read by Anne-Marie Duff, a tiny but beautiful girl grows from a barleycorn which has been enchanted by a witch.   In 'The Nightingale', read by Sir Derek Jacobi, an emperor prefers a sparkling mechanical bird to the song of a real nightingale.   And in 'The Ugly Duckling', read by Penelope Wilton, a little bird is called ugly by others until he matures into a beautiful swan.

Hans Christian Andersen was born in Odense, Denmark, in 1805. At the age of 14 he went to Copenhagen to become an actor. He failed and instead went back to school, where he was very unhappy. He published his first book, an account of a walking trip, in 1829. From then on he wrote many books, finding his true voice in his original fairy stories, which often had their basis in his life. He died in 1875.

Download eight timeless audio tales from a magical storyteller 
 
This enchanting collection, retold by writer and critic Naomi Lewis, contains eight of Hans Christian Andersen's magnificent fairy tales. It includes Thumbelina, a little girl no more than a thumb-joint high, The Emperor's New Clothes, the tale of a man who cares only for his appearance and The Little Mermaid, who longs to one day marry a human prince. 
 
Unabridged and read by Juliet Stevenson, Andrew Sachs, Alan Cumming, and Nigel Davenport.

Fairy Tales

Hans Christian Andersen (1805&ndash;1875) wrote more than 150 haunting tales. Many were based on folktales and many were his own original creations. 
 
 
Tiina Nunnally is an award-winning translator of Scandinavian fiction, including Sigrid Undset&rsquo;s Kristin Lavransdatter. 
 
Jackie Wullschlager&rsquo;s books include a critically acclaimed biography of Hans Christian Andersen. She is the chief art correspondent for Financial Times.

Hans Christian Andersen was the profoundly imaginative writer and storyteller who revolutionized literature for children. He gave us the now standard versions of some traditional fairy tales&mdash;with an anarchic twist&mdash;but many of his most famous tales sprang directly from his imagination. 
 
The thirty stories here range from exuberant early works such as &quot;The Tinderbox&quot; and &quot;The Emperor's New Clothes&quot; through poignant masterpieces such as &quot;The Little Mermaid&quot; and &quot;The Ugly Duckling,&quot; to more subversive later tales such as &quot;The Ice maiden&quot; and &quot;The Wood Nymph.&quot;

The Black Classics edition of our glorious new translation and selection of 30 tales to mark the 200 year anniversary of Andersen's birth in 2005

Containing an enchanting mix of familiar favourites and hidden gems, the Penguin Classics edition of Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales is translated by Tiina Nunnally and edited with an introduction by Jackie Wullschlager. 
 
The first writer to create timeless, universal fairy tales from his own imagination, Hans Christian Andersen conjured up a world of icy queens, match girls and tin soldiers, rewarded virtue and unfulfilled desire. Rich with popular tales such as 'The Emperor's New Clothes' and 'The Ugly Duckling', this revelatory new collection contains many later, darker and rarely collected stories, such as 'Auntie Toothache' and 'The Shadow', in which a man's shadow slyly takes over his life. 
 
This sparkling new translation captures the eccentric charm of Andersen's original, colloquial Danish style as never before. The introduction vividly describes his changing style and there are notes on every tale. 
 
'Truly scrumptious, a proper treasury ... Read on with eyes as big as teacups' 
Guardian 
 
'This translation gives me, for the first time, a real sense of the range and variety of Andersen's style' 
A.S. Byatt 
 
'There have been some capable versions in English, but Tiina Nunnally's seems to me the best. Jackie Wullschlager's introduction will be of enormous value' 
Harold Bloom

Hans Christian Andersen (Author) Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was born in Odense, Denmark, son of a shoemaker and a washerwoman. He was the first writer to take the folk tale as a literary genre and create new stories, such as 'The Emperor's New Clothes', 'The Little Mermaid', 'The Ugly Duckling' and 'The Snow Queen'. His influence on children's literature is inestimable, yet his stories work on many levels. He died in Copenhagen in 1875. Jackie Wullschläger (External Editor) Jackie Wullschläger is Chief Art Critic of the Financial Times. Her books include the prize-winning Hans Christian Andersen: The Life of a Storyteller (2000) and Chagall: Love and Exile (2008), which won the Spear's Biography of the Year Award and was shortlisted for the Costa Biography Award, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and the Duff Cooper Prize. She lives in London. Tiina Nunnally (Translator) Tiina Nunnally is an award-winning translator (from Danish, Norwegian and Swedish) and novelist. She was awarded the prestigious PEN Translation Prize in 2001 for her translation of the third volume of Sigrid Undset's Kristin Lavransdatter, and her translations of Hans Christian Andersen and Tove Ditlevsen for Penguin Classics have been widely praised.

With this new translation and selection, the unique inventiveness of Andersen's genius is revealed. At a time when children's stories were formal, moral and didactic, Hans Christian Andersen revolutionized the genre, giving an anarchic twist to traditional folklore and creating a huge number of utterly original stories that sprang directly from his imagination. From the exuberant early stories such as The Emperor's New Clothes, through poignant masterpieces such as The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling, to the darker, more subversive later tales written for adults, the stories included here are endlessly experimental, both humorous and irreverent, sorrowful and strange.

A new translation and selection of 30 tales to mark the 200 year anniversary of Andersen's birth in 2005.

Hans Christian Andersen (Author) Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was born in Odense, Denmark, son of a shoemaker and a washerwoman. He was the first writer to take the folk tale as a literary genre and create new stories, such as 'The Emperor's New Clothes', 'The Little Mermaid', 'The Ugly Duckling' and 'The Snow Queen'. His influence on children's literature is inestimable, yet his stories work on many levels. He died in Copenhagen in 1875. Tiina Nunnally (Author) Tiina Nunnally is an award-winning translator (from Danish, Norwegian and Swedish) and novelist. She was awarded the prestigious PEN Translation Prize in 2001 for her translation of the third volume of Sigrid Undset's Kristin Lavransdatter, and her translations of Hans Christian Andersen and Tove Ditlevsen for Penguin Classics have been widely praised. Jackie Wullschläger (External Editor) Jackie Wullschläger is Chief Art Critic of the Financial Times. Her books include the prize-winning Hans Christian Andersen: The Life of a Storyteller (2000) and Chagall: Love and Exile (2008), which won the Spear's Biography of the Year Award and was shortlisted for the Costa Biography Award, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and the Duff Cooper Prize. She lives in London.

A new selection of 30 tales to mark the 200 year anniversary of Andersen's birth in 2005. 
 
Tiina Nunnally's sparkling translation captures the rawness and immediacy of Andersen's style, for the first time enabling English readers to be as startled and amazed as his original readers were, and revealing the unique inventiveness of Andersen's genius. 
 
At a time when children's stories were formal, moral and didactic, Hans Christian Andersen revolutionized the genre, giving an anarchic twist to traditional folklore and creating a huge number of utterly original stories that sprang directly from his imagination. From the exuberant early stories such as 'The Emperor's New Clothes', though poignant masterpieces such as 'The Little Mermaid' and 'The Ugly Duckling', to the darker, more subversive later tales written for adults, the stories included here are endlessly experimental, both humorous and irreverent, sorrowful and strange. 
 
This book - beautifully illustrated with a selection of Andersen's amazing paper cut-outs - will bring these magical tales to life for readers of any age.

Everyman's Children's Classics has more than 50 titles in print. It offers the finest editions currently available of the world's greatest children's books in handsome, full cloth hardcover bindings. 
 
The library brings back into print major illustrators such as Ivan Bilibin, Kate Greenaway, Arthur Rackham, Nicolas Bentley, Walter Crane, Aubrey Beardsley, Edward Ardizzone, W.Heath Robinson and Mervyn Peake.

Classic ,chilling tale by one of the masters of the fairy tale: Hans Christian Andersen. With original illustrations, and beautifully packaged.

When Kay gets a splinter of the wicked troll's magic mirror in his heart it becomes hard and cold - just like a lump of ice. Kay is abducted and bewitched by the chillingly beautiful Snow Queen and his loyal sister, Gerda is prepared to face anything to find her brother and bring him home. So, she undertakes the nightmarish journey to the Snow Queen's icy labyrinth. . . .

Ladybird Readers Level 4 - The Emperor and the Nightingale (ELT Graded Reader)

Ladybird Readers is an ELT graded reader series for children aged 3­–11 learning English as a foreign or second language. The series includes traditional tales, favourite characters, modern stories and non-fiction. Written by experts, it uses proven methods to help children learn English and grasp key grammar and vocabulary points. 
<ul><li>Perfect for learning English in school or at home</li><li>Develops reading, writing, speaking, listening and critical thinking skills</li><li>Features much-loved characters and authors such as Peter Rabbit, Peppa Pig, Roald Dahl and Eric Carle </li><li>Eight levels follow the Common European Framework of Reference for language learning (CEFR)</li><li>Language activities in every book provide preparation for the Cambridge English Pre-A1 to A2 (YLE) tests</li><li>Features free online resources including audio, answer keys and tips for parents</li></ul>The Emperor and the Nightingale, a Level 4 Reader, is A2 in the CEFR framework and includes practice for the Cambridge English A2 Flyers tests. The longer text is made up of sentences with up to three clauses, more past and future tense structures, modal verbs and a wider variety of conjunctions. 
The emperor called one of his lords. 
“I have read about the nightingale,” he said. 
“Find her for me! I want to listen to her songs.”

Ladybird (Author) 
We make growing up the best story ever! Here at Ladybird, we publish playful books for little hands. From touch-and-feel books to bedtime stories and non-fiction, we help 0-7s to learn, play and grow - sparking plenty of smiles along the way. The home of Ten Minutes to Bed, Baby Touch, Peppa Pig and Hey Duggee, we know just how to capture curious little imaginations and guide them from one story to the next. 
 
Hans Christian Andersen (Author) 
Hans Christian Andersen (April 2, 1805 - August 4, 1875) was a Danish author and poet, most famous for his fairy tales. Among his best-known stories are The Snow Queen, The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina, The Little Match Girl, The Ugly Duckling and The Red Shoes. During Andersen's lifetime he was feted by royalty and acclaimed for having brought joy to children across Europe. His fairy tales have been translated into over 150 languages and continue to be published in millions of copies all over the world.

Ladybird Readers is an ELT graded reader series for children learning English as a foreign or second language. The series includes traditional tales, favourite characters, modern stories and non-fiction – featuring Spot, Peppa Pig and Peter Rabbit and classic authors such as Roald Dahl. 
 
Recommended for children aged 3–11, the eight levels of Ladybird Readers follow the CEFR framework (Pre-A1 to A2+) and include extra learning activities that develop key skills and provide preparation for the Cambridge English tests. Each book is Lexile measured and introduces key vocabulary and character names at the start of each reader. The books are written by language learning experts and include access to online audio. 
 
This Level 4 Reader is A2 in the CEFR framework and includes practice for the Cambridge English A2 Flyers tests. The longer text is made up of sentences with up to three clauses, more past and future tense structures, modal verbs and a wider variety of conjunctions.The emperor called one of his lords. 
“I have read about the nightingale,” he said. 
“Find her for me! I want to listen to her songs.”

Hans Christian Andersen

It is the language, subtle and insinuating, that slips beneath your defences and delivers the tales' odd, twisted meanings straight into the bloodstream

A beautiful deluxe gift edition of the very best, most dark and delightful fairy tales including 'The Little Mermaid', ‘The Ugly Duckling’ and ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’, with foiled covers, marbled endpapers, sprayed edges, beautiful paper and finished with a silk ribbon 
 
This collection gathers together some of the most iconic fairy tales from Hans Christian Andersen. Using old folk tales as his raw material, Andersen told stories full of darkness, magic, power and meaning, stories that have become central to Western culture and literature. Discover the original story of ‘The Little Mermaid’, ‘The Ugly Duckling’, ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ and many more. 
 
This hardback is part of VINTAGE COLLECTOR’S CLASSICS, a series of luxurious books especially crafted for collectors and fans of beautiful special editions. Sumptuous design meets the highest quality production. Discover timeless classics beautifully bound for every bookshelf.

Hans Christian Andersen

Praise for Fairy Tales

It is the language, subtle and insinuating, that slips beneath your defences and delivers the tales' odd, twisted meanings straight into the bloodstream

Books by Hans Christian Andersen

Series by Hans Christian Andersen

Little Puffin Clothbound Classics12 Books

Vintage Christmas Tales4 Books

Articles featuring Hans Christian Andersen

The ultimate Eurovision-inspired reading list

Books for kids who are obsessed with Disney’s Frozen

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