The Little Mermaid and Other Tales from Hans Christian Andersen

by Neil Philip (Adapter), Isabelle Brent (Illustrator)

The Little Mermaid is one of the most haunting love stories ever written. Its author, Hans Christian Andersen, is a master storyteller whose tales have withstood the test of time and have been shared across borders and languages. In this sparkling anthology 17 of his creations are enchantingly retold for children today by Neil Philip. Many of his most popular tales are The Tinderbox, The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and The Little Match Girl. Read about Little Ida who dared to dance at night with the flowers, the young prince who searched for a mysterious bell deep in the forest, and the very vain emperor who was cruelly tricked by wicked thieves. There are also some less-well known stories that will delight a new generation of children including Five Peas from the Same Pod, The Goblin at the Grocer’s, The Flying Trunk and The Beetle. Originally the son of a poor shoemaker, the secret of Andersen’s success is that he wrote his stories as if he were telling them to a child. None of the original magic has been lost in this joyful new edition, ideal to read aloud or for older readers to enjoy discovering by themselves. Delightfully illustrated with Isabelle Brent’s magical watercolours, lavishly embellished with gold decorations.

144 pages, Hardcover

Published May 15, 2019

About the author

Neil Philip is a writer, folklorist and poet. He is married to the artist Emma Bradford, and lives in the Cotswolds, England. Neil loves words, poetry, and the art of storytelling in all its forms. Among his many books are A Fine Anger, Victorian Village Life, The Cinderella Story, The Penguin Book of English Folktales, Mythology (with Philip Wilkinson), The Great Mystery, War and the Pity of War, The New Oxford Book of Childrens Verse, The Tale of Sir Gawain, Horse Hooves & Chicken Feet, and The Adventures of Odysseus. Neil has contributed to numerous journals, including The Times, and Signal: Approaches to Childrens Books, and has also written for stage, screen, and radio. His work has won numerous awards and honours, including the Aesop Award of the American Folklore Society and the Literary Criticism Book Award of the Childrens Literature Association. Outside of the storied world, Neil is passionate about cats, art, music, France, food & wine, and friendship.