A treasure. . . Yolen sensitively recounts how Andersen’s story was marked by hardship, ambition, creativity, and longing. The beauty of her writing astounds. —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
His Fairytale Life: A Book About Hans Christian Anderson (25)
The storyteller becomes the story in this illuminating biographical picture book of Hans Christian Andersen, father of the modern fairy tale.
A century and a half have passed since Hans Christan Andersen’s death, but his stories are more alive than ever. Across languages, borders, and disciplines, his timeless creations have left a footprint beyond measuring. Now, come along back to the beginning and meet the human that came before the legend.
He was a boy
who lived with a mother
who could not read,
but remembered every fairy tale
she’d been told…
Appropriately penned by Jane Yolen, who Newsweek has called “the Hans Christian Andersen of America,” His Fairytale Life is as immersive and transporting as all good fairy tales should be. Each page sings with Brooke Boynton-Hughes’s dazzlingly intricate illustrations. Classics lovers and Disney fanatics alike will cherish this dreamy tome.
-
SeriesSingle Picture Books
-
ManufacturerHardcover
-
PublisherNeal Porter Books
-
Publisher or imprintNeal Porter Books
-
AuthorYolen, Jane
-
ISBN-139780823451036
-
FormatHardcover
-
Size11.3 x 9.4
-
Reading InterestPreK,K,1,2,3
-
# of Pages32
-
Reviews / Awards NotedYES
-
Date Published2025
-
SubjectNonfiction, Picture Book, Biography, Fairy Tales, Hans Christian Anderson
The storyteller becomes the story in this illuminating biographical picture book of Hans Christian Andersen, father of the modern fairy tale.
A century and a half have passed since Hans Christan Andersen’s death, but his stories are more alive than ever. Across languages, borders, and disciplines, his timeless creations have left a footprint beyond measuring. Now, come along back to the beginning and meet the human that came before the legend.
He was a boy
who lived with a mother
who could not read,
but remembered every fairy tale
she’d been told…
Appropriately penned by Jane Yolen, who Newsweek has called “the Hans Christian Andersen of America,” His Fairytale Life is as immersive and transporting as all good fairy tales should be. Each page sings with Brooke Boynton-Hughes’s dazzlingly intricate illustrations. Classics lovers and Disney fanatics alike will cherish this dreamy tome.
Standard ground shipping is calculated at 10%, with a minimum $5.00 charge. Additional fees for expedited, oversized, and international shipping will be assessed on the final invoice. Please contact customer service with any questions.
Customer reviews
-
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)04/24/2025, 03:04 PM
-
Booklist (starred review)04/24/2025, 03:03 PMThis beautiful picture book serves as a poetic tribute from one imaginative writer to another. —Booklist (starred review)
-
Publishers Weekly04/24/2025, 03:03 PMYolen traces via a single, lilting sentence the life of Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875), whose original stories are now considered cultural touchstones. . . Pale, romantic watercolor, graphite, and ink spreads by Boynton-Hughes (Heart String) set the events in atmospheric interiors and streets, and represent Andersen’s imaginative creations as intricate, tapestry-like waves of fantasy that spread beyond him. —Publishers Weekly
-
The Bulletin04/24/2025, 03:02 PMThe sequential story is factually told but still has warmth and affection. —The Bulletin
