Hans Christian Andersen
Author of "The Ugly Duckling" and "The Little Match Girl," the world's king of fairy tales.
Life
Son of a shoemaker
Hans Christian Andersen was born into a shoemaker's family in Odense. At fourteen he went alone to Copenhagen to seek his fortune, hoping to become an actor and singer; after repeated setbacks, he completed his schooling with the help of patrons.
Fairy tales
In 1835 he published his first collection of fairy tales, and went on to write more than 160 tales, such as "The Little Mermaid," "The Emperor's New Clothes," "The Ugly Duckling" and "The Little Match Girl," turning folk stories into literary works rich in poetry and wisdom about life.
The Ugly Duckling
He never married, traveled widely, and died in Copenhagen in 1875.
Legacy
Hans Christian Andersen is one of the most translated writers in the world, and the International Board on Books for Young People named its highest award in children's literature, the Hans Christian Andersen Award, after him.
Major works & achievements
- Andersen's Fairy Tales
Did you know? His birthday, April 2, is International Children's Book Day.
Key dates
- 1819Goes alone to Copenhagen
- 1835Publishes his first collection of fairy tales
- 1837Publishes The Little Mermaid
- 1843Publishes The Ugly Duckling
- 1875Died