Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales

Written by Hans Christian Andersen

Narrated by Nigel Davenport, Andrew Sachs, Alan Cumming and Juliet Stevenson

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin UK Audio
• Release date: May 27, 2010
• ISBN: 9780141964539

Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was a Danish writer and author of many notable books including The Snow Queen. He specialized in writing fairytales that were inspired by tales he had heard as a child. As his writing evolved his fairytales became more bold and out of the box. Andersen's stories have been translated into more than 125 languages and have inspired many plays, films and ballets.

Reviews for Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales

[rosie8billings · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Summary:A duckling hatches from his egg only to find out that he looks completely different from his siblings. The duckling is bullied from his siblings and peers so he decides to leave the farm and live with wild geese. Unfortunately, the wild geese are killed off during hunting season. The duckling continues to look for a place to belong but is constantly rejected until he comes across a pond full of swans. As he looks at his reflection in the water, he realizes that he looks just like the other swans. Even some children claim that he is the most beautiful of all the swans. Personal Reaction:This is always a good story to tell children, especially at a young age. It helps explain that just because someone looks different, it’s still not right to judge them or make fun of them. It’s also a good story for those children that are different in that it tells them it’s ok to be yourself and just because someone is picking on you doesn’t mean you won’t be successful later in life. The retelling of this story was also very nice in that it went into more detail about the ducklings feelings. Classroom Extension:1) Have an open discussion about bullying. Explain why it’s wrong, what to do when you see someone being bullied and the different types of bullying. 2) Talk about the differences between ducks and swans.

[gjchauvin504 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This version of The Ugly Duckling is a great retelling of the classic story, with an enriched exploration of the Ugly Duckling's feelings and experiences. The illustrations are stunning. My three children, ages 3-5, are enthralled. And because of the nuance and complexity of the story, this will continue to be a family favorite for years to come.

[raizel_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Black and white watercolors with splashes of yellow in this 1969 version of "The Ugly Duckling" translated by Lillian Moore. Seems to have the complete story. Suffering is purifying.