Countless editions of Hans Christian Andersen‘s popular fairy tales can be found in various forms, but few provide the lavish presentation offered by TASCHEN’s latest collection, that continues the format set by last year’s The Fairy Tales of Brothers Grimm. With 23 timeless stories contained within it’s hardback cover including, The Little Mermaid, The Emperor’s New Clothes, Thumbelina and The Ugly Duckling, each are enhanced by some truly fantastic illustration from renowned artists such as Gustaf Tenggren, Harry Clarke and Arthur Rackham, that boast a variety of styles ranging from the typically child-friendly to the gothic Poe-like world presented in The Snow Queen.
It’s a collection rightly designed to be shared by young and old readers, starting with an introduction by Noel Daniel that offers a fascinating glimpse into the mind of Andersen and possible source of these most imaginative of stories. Any self-respecting library should hold the work of Hans Christian Andersen, and with an appeal that goes straight to my love for illustration this would be my edition of choice.