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Hans Christian Andersen: The Journey of His Life Hardcover – Picture Book, September 1, 2020

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 17 ratings

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“If you like, I’ll tell you the story of a boy who learned to fly.”

Through an enchanted conversation with a young girl in a horse-drawn coach, Hans Christian Andersen shares his life’s struggles, dreams, and triumphs—whose threads can be found woven into his greatest stories. He tells her about the “fairy tale of his life” and how the son of a shoemaker became a celebrated writer.

Heinz Janisch paints a sensitive portrait of Andersen and his literary work. Maja Kastelic has developed a well-suited illustration concept for this story that combines sumptuous art of a picture book with elements of a graphic novel. Thus, for the first time, H. C. Andersen’s life and work become a fascinating collage in picture book form.

A moving, inventive story about the life of Hans Christian Andersen.
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 1-4-Hans Christian Andersen's stories are such a prevalent part of children's literature that readers sometimes forget they were written in the 1800s. Traveling by stagecoach in 1800s Denmark, a seven-year-old girl named Elsa and her mother meet an older gentleman who offers to tell the child a fairy tale to pass the time. The book's design uses many graphic novel elements. Some pages are divided into panels with rounded edges; others are full-bleed illustrations. Instead of using speech bubbles, the book places text within the image panel or outside the frame. Kastelic presents the narrative and Andersen's fairy tales in soft but vibrant watercolors, while the retelling of Andersen's own past is rendered in a sepia palette. Poetic language conveys the magical qualities of Andersen's life and the hardships he faced, while the illustrations depict enchanting, unexpected scenes. As Andersen talks to Elsa, he describes many of his stories, such as "The Ugly Duckling," "The Snow Queen," and "Thumbelina." A brief note above the copyright information reveals that references to familiar authors of children's literature and famous children's book characters "crept" into the illustrations. VERDICT This lovely book should be savored. The pages should be studied for every detail, then read alongside Andersen's stories for a wholly immersive experience.-Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's Sch., Richmond, VAα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

*STARRED REVIEW. In this smoothly translated blend of biography and storytelling, Janisch uses Andersen’s own metaphor: The Danish writer called his memoir The Fairy Tale of My Life...“A very special fairy story,” indeed. ― Kirkus Reviews

*STARRED REVIEW. This lovely book should be savored. ―
School Library Journal

There’s something truly magical happening in
Hans Christian Andersen: The Journey of His Life. It’s not just the context, although there’s plenty of magic to be found there. It’s in everything, really: the story, the illustrations, the colors, the compositions. If there’s a perfect picture book, in my opinion, I’d say this gets damn close to being it. -- John Herzog ― OnlyPictureBooks.com

Aside from the stories themselves, this lyrical outing offers younger audiences the best insight into Andersen’s life and gifts since Jane Yolen’s The Perfect Wizard (2005). -- John Peters ―
Booklist

In her art, Kastelic melds the text layers, shifting among soft watercolors of the coach ride, sepia-toned memories of Andersen’s childhood, and vividly hued compositions recalling vintage fairy tale illustration for references to Andersen’s stories. ―
Bulletin of the Center For Children's books

For those who want a short tour through Andersen’s life, they can have it with this illustrated picture book detailing the struggles, dreams and triumphs of the inimitable storyteller. Inspiring for children and adults alike. ―
Book Riot

The sumptuous illustrations use graphic novel elements to tell the story. In the illustrations, there are references to well-known authors of children’s books and some famous children’s book characters, like The Little Prince, Pinocchio, and more. An author’s note tells more about Hans Christian Andersen’s life. ―
Omnilibros

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ NorthSouth Books; Illustrated edition (September 1, 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 56 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0735843880
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0735843882
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 - 8 years
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - 2
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 0.4 x 11 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 17 ratings

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4.7 out of 5 stars
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2023
    Maia Kastelic’s colorful illustrations complement Heinz Janisch’s biography of Hans Christian Andersen
    While on a carriage ride to Copenhagen, a little girl convinces Andersen to tell her a story
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2020
    This delightful, beautifully illustrated graphic novel shares Hans Christian Andersen's life story. Within the fictional framing device, he is riding in a carriage with a little girl and her mother, and begins telling this girl the fairy tale of his life. I found the narrow font difficult to read at times, and some of the transitions are a bit abrupt, but this is a wonderful introduction to this storyteller. The illustrations are radiant, with different colors and tones representing varied emotions, and in addition to sharing biographical information about Andersen, this book also summarizes of some of his best-known works.

    This will appeal to anyone who likes history, fairy tales, rags-to-riches stories, graphic novels, and inspiring, imaginative tales. I really enjoyed this book, and even though I wasn't sure what I would think of the fictionalized elements of this story, the framing device works well and gives Andersen a delightful narrative voice in this book, telling his story to a child.

    I remember reading a dry, boring, and drably illustrated biography of Andersen when I was a child, and I am glad that this book exists now to capture his life with soaring colors, creativity, and hopefulness. This is a great book, and readers shouldn't let the fictional elements turn them off from this appealing historical graphic novel.
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2021
    Hans Christian Anderson picture book is a biography of Hans Christian Anderson. He meets a girl in a carriage and tells her about his life. Hans was born in Denmark. His grandfather made and sold puppets and his father was a shoemaker. Hans's father told him magical stories, which stayed with him. Hans left his home at the age of fourteen to join the theatre. He also wrote stories for plays, his plays became famous, and the rest is history.

    I loved the illustrations in this book. This book teaches young children to be imaginative and gives hope that a pauper can turn into a prince as long as he believes in himself. The book is a bit long and wordy for a picture-book but is worth reading. I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2020
    A gorgeous and wonderful story recounting Hans Christian Anderson's life. It's a great read for kids to learn about this great author and the formatting is easy to read. The art style in this book is very charming and beautiful. Overall, a great read for kids illustrating the life of Hans Christian Anderson in an easy and enjoyable way.
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2021
    On her way to Copenhagen with her mother, seven-year-old Elsa asks the man in their carriage a simple question. She learns that the man’s name is Hans and that he writes fairy tales. Elsa asks him to tell her a story, and Hans starts to tell her about a boy who learned how to fly.
    Janisch cleverly tells the story of Hans Christian Andersen by having Hans himself tell his story to a child, a role that Hans was adept with in life. As Hans tells his story, hope is given to each reader that, no matter our trials, we can find fairy tale qualities in our lives, too. The wonderful illustrations masterfully blur the lines between reality and fairy tale throughout the story, and they are my favorite part of the book.
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2020
    This was an interesting children's-oriented biography and I learned plenty about Anderson. I’m familiar with his stories, but didn’t know much about his life. I loved how the illustrations shifted between neutrals and colors, to more elaborate illustrations to showcase fairy tales. I read this via NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2020
    this was really cute and i really enjoyed it!! the illustrations were amazing and i could see many people loving this :)