Andersen, Hans Christian

Hans Christian Andersen was born in Odense, Denmark, in 1805, and died in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1875. In his 70 years, this Danish writer accomplished much in the way of publications, although he is primarily remembered as an author of children’s literature. He wrote in a wide variety of forms: plays, novels, essays, travel books, poetry, autobiographies, and most famously, fairy tales, which are some of the most popularly translated works of children’s literature in the world. As a result, his legacy is tied to modern children’s literature as it is known today. The world’s most prestigious prize in children’s and adolescent literature, the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, carries his name, and International Children’s Book Day is celebrated on his birthday, April 2.

Andersen came from ...