Publisher's summary

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—with an anarchic twist—but many of his most famous tales sprang directly from his imagination.

The 30 stories here range from exuberant early works such as "The Tinderbox" and "The Emperor's New Clothes" through poignant masterpieces such as "The Little Mermaid" and "The Ugly Duckling", to more subversive later tales such as "The Ice Maiden" and "The Wood Nymph".

©2004 Tiina Nunnally (P)2005 Penguin Audio and Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

  • 2005 Audie Award Nominee, Short Stories/Collections

What listeners say about Fairy Tales

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Great stories! Wish it had chapter headings

The stories are well written, well read, but I wish the chapters were labeled so I could more easily find the one(s) I want.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Dreamland Awaits - Bedtime Stories for All

These tales are fun to listen to if you have a child or grandchild who loves to be read to at night but you are just plain worn out! Just plug on earphone in the child's ear and one in yours and hit play on your player and dreamland will be yours before you know it. These timeless fairy tales are the perfect bedtime stories. Our favorites so far have been "The Ugly Duckling" and "The Emperor's New Clothes". The stories are well told, detailed and are not condensed in any way. While some stories (like the "Princess and the Pea" are very short, some last more than 40 minutes.

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36 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Anderson is a literary king. "A real king!"

Hans Christian Andersen is both my favorite children's author and author in general. As a children's author he is the most magical. As an author in general he is magestic. His fairytales, short stories, poems and novels all share an unparalleled subtlety and heart. Forever remember be his heart and his legacy. Thank you and bravo, kind sir.

Kate Reading and Richard Matthews accomplish the hard task of reaching the author's level of grandeur by being both magical and magestic in their performances. Miss Reading has a commanding human set of emotions in her reading emoting repertoire which evoke each one of those emotions like a virtuoso.

Try listening to "The Wind Tells About Valdemar Daa And His Daughters' and not feel something universally profound in your soul. This is achieved compliments of both Andersen and Reading. This story is to me the highlight of this magnum opus.

My favourite audiobook on Audible (period)

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Random

This was silly, random and clever.

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4 people found this helpful