Hans Christian Andersen is not one of my favorite fairytale compilers but I cannot say he isn't the worse one there is either. Hans makes sure that you are given with plenty of details to immerse you in the stories and makes you feel that you are all the way there with the characters whether you are trying to pick nettles, bargaining with a sea sorceress or being shot from a peashooter.

These are the real fairy tales - the ones that aren't doctored for young minds - and since so many are gruesome or dark they aren't really the most oft told of any fairytales. The heroes and heroines depend upon prayer and religion just as much as their goodness to survive the horrors of the world they face. And there are some main characters who just aren't good at all!

Some of my favorites are: "The Little Mermaid (Disney just won't be the same)", "The Ugly Duckling", "The Bell" and "Wild Swans (I have read two variations of this story while the one in here is one I hadn't read before)". ( )

Thoughts: The book has great illustrations even though they may be a little more exposed than I would like. The book has great moral values that my students would be able to connect with to their own lives. In the book she gives up her voice to be with the one she loves. She takes a chance to be with him even if she may die. In the end she still has a kind heart and can not do what she needs to be able to live her life back under the sea. I love The Little Mermaid story. The traditional version is different than todays' more modern version. In the begining the little mermaid is to young to make the trip up to the surface, and her father is not against her learning about the human world.

Summary: The little mermaid and other tales by Hans Christian Anderson (2005) A story about a young mermaid who longs for her chance to see what is above the oceans surface. She has 4 older sisters and has to wait till she is of age before she will be able to make the same trip to the sea surface as her sisters. The little mermaid learns as much as possible about the human world as she can from her grandmother. Finally it is her turn to make her way up to the surface. While she is there she sees a ship decorated with laterns for a party. She stays and watches the party for a young prince and falls in love with him. After the party is over there is a horrible storm that shatters the boat. The little mermaid saves the prince and takes him to the nearest shore. By then it is day and she lays him on the warm sand, before he wakes she is forced to leave him because she hears other humans coming. She swims back home and is sad because she can not be with the prince. One day she tells her sisters why she is so sad and one of her sisters knows where the prince lives and takes her to see him. She goes and sits under a small bridge every night and watches the prince. She is even more sad becuase she can not be with him still and she goes to see the sea witch. The sea witch makes a trade with the little mermaid so that she may make a postion for her that will give her legs. The little mermaid gives up her voice so that she may join the prince in his world. She is the most gracefull dancer than anyone in the land, but with every step there is a price. She feels pain with every step and every graceful dance. One day she and the prince go on a trip across the sea to meet a young princess. When the prince sees her he thinks that she is the one who saved him and he decides to marry her. The morning after the wedding the little mermaid as a part of her deal with the sea witch turns into sea foam, but in return for loving so freely she is given a soul that will never die.

Classroom Extensions:
1) After I read the book to the class I would play an order game with my students. I would pass out certain events to each student and ask them to work together to figure out the right order. After they were in order I would make it into their own book to look back on later.
2) I would hand out little cards that had pictures on them. The students would then be asked to match the pictures then put them in the same order as the book. ( )