Danish · 1805–1875
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish writer born in Odense in 1805 to a poor family. He moved to Copenhagen as a teenager, hoping to work in the theatre, and later gained an education through the support of patrons. He wrote novels, plays, poems and travel books, but he is remembered above all for his fairy tales, published from 1835 onward. Among them are The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, The Snow Queen, The Emperor's New Clothes and The Little Match Girl. Some tales rework folk stories, while many are his own inventions. He often wrote in a spoken, direct voice and gave feelings and speech to animals and everyday objects. His stories have been translated into well over a hundred languages and adapted for stage, ballet and film. He died in Copenhagen in 1875. The Hans Christian Andersen Award, given every two years, honours authors and illustrators of children's books.