We honor the life of Hans Christian Andersen with International Children’s Book Day. His work spans from The Little Mermaid (1837), The Ugly Duckling (1843), Thumbelina (1835), The Princess and The Pea (1835), and The Little Match Girl (1845). He wrote an autobiography and other pieces that have become iconic childhood stories.
There is a Hans Christian Andersen Museum in Solvang, CA. It contains the vast collection of narratives he wrote along with historical elements from his life. Although he himself never visited Solvang, this Danish town honors this man’s enduring legacy.
In the words of the folklorist himself, “Life is the most wonderful fairy tale of all!” This quote was translated from What the Whole Family Said by the Hans Christian Andersen Centre in Demark.