We've decided to kick off our January Literature studies (among our many other things) with a look at Hans Christian Andersen and the proverbial Fairy Tale! I have the Children's Classic version of Andersen's Fairy Tales and it along with many illustrated picture books from the library will suit us just fine for our little sojourn into his work!
As you may have already read The Little Match Girl as one of Cay's delightful Catholic Mosaic selections for January, we are also reading Thumbelina however our version is illustrated by Kaj Beckman, and this version of The Little Match Girl illustrated by Blair Lent. We also have The Ugly Duckling ready to crack open. We are enjoying his writing and learning about his life already and look forward to more!
Here is a narration from Violet from some of our reading:
Born is Odense, Denmark in 1805, Hans Christian Andersen was the son of a very poor shoemaker. His father built him a play theater and sometimes took him to see some real plays. These trips to the theater were very rare, but Hans had friends who gave him playbills, and h would sit in a corner and make up his own plays in his head. He was entered into a grammar school in Copenhagen much later than most boys. He sufferedmuch abuse from the other boys for being older than them and not being very good looking. He graduated at the age of 23and decided to become a writer. His frst collection of children's fairy tales was published in 1835 as a small pamphlet. He wrote many, many wonderful fairy tales that children alike have enjoyed for generations. Hans Christian Andersen died in 1875. Two of my favorite tales by him are Thumbelina and The Little Mermaid.
Some great Resources I just Googled:
The Hans Christian Andersen Research Center
Andersen Fairy Tales (interactive site)
Hans Christian Andersen (Biographical link)
If you find any others or have a favorite one that you have explored, please share it here too!!
Sounds great, and what a wonderful narration by Violet!
The kids and I just read The Little Match Girl for the first time... It was such a great book, but SO sad, the kids kept asking me if I was ok! After reading it, we went through the kids clothing to donate some to the poor.
Also, Thanks for the GREAT links! My kids are going to love the interactive site. Have a great weekend!
Posted by: Jessica | Saturday, January 12, 2008 at 12:20 PM
What a coincidence, we are looking into classic folk and fairy tales for January as well, I thought it would be a wonderful way to spend our indoor time. We are in more of a "grimms" theme, but my three year olds like the usborne sticker books, and we all adore Paul Zelinsky's beautiful illustrations of Rumpelstiltskin, Rapunzel and Hansel and Gretel.
Posted by: Mary Alice | Saturday, January 12, 2008 at 08:47 PM
Here is The Snow Queen fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen with award winning full page illustrations by Ukrainian artist Vladyslav Yerko, also well known for his illustrations of the Harry Potter books.
www.snowqueen.us
Posted by: vediwiki | Monday, January 14, 2008 at 03:49 AM