Gr 4 Up-- This handsome edition, containing eight stories, has a few old favorites and some lesser-known tales that can only be found in complete anthologies. Bell's translations are crisp, offering Andersen's wry observations and romantic prose in clean, precise English. The book is asethetically pleasing--long and narrow, with thick, creamy white pages; a fine typeface; and plenty of white space framing text and illustration. Zwerger's elegant pencil-and-watercolor illustrations are typically restrained in palette, utilizing mostly earthen tones. Her compositions are classically balanced, with uncluttered backgrounds, and realistic characters, costumed fancifully. Each story begins with a simple headpiece decoration and is accompanied by one or more plates. A lovely volume. --Karen K. Radtke, Milwaukee Public Library

Listeners will be fascinated by these original stories from Hans Christian Andersen—no Disney adaptations here. They’re richly voiced by F. Murray Abraham and enlivened by a cast of acclaimed narrators who add playful differentiation to the many characters. The tales range from the familiar “Thumbelina,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “The Princess and the Pea” to those less well known like “The Rags” and “Luck Can Be Found on a Stick.” They’re filled with surprises for those acquainted only with the sanitized versions, with many missing the happy endings we’re used to hearing. Abraham’s elegant narration and measured pacing provide the perfect foil to the more whimsical style of those portraying the characters in this engaging production. S.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2019 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine