Hans Christian Anderson died more than a hundred years ago, but his many wonderful stories live on in the hearts of readers. Most are fairy tales he made up, but some are imaginative retellings of folk tales.

Maybe you know his story

The Ugly Duckling

It tells how a young duckling is unhappy because the doesn't look like his brothers and sisters. They drive him away and he is very lonely.

After a long time, the duckling meets some beautiful swans. He wishes he could look like them. Then he sees himself in the water and realizes that he does! He has grown into a fine-looking swan. In fact, he was never a duckling at all.

Anderson's life was much like this story. He was born in 1805 and was son of a poor shoemaker in Odense, Denmark. He left home at 14 to go to the busy city of Copenhagen, hoping to become an artist. Anderson loved the theatre, and he tried to find work as a singer, actor, or a dancer. But he had crackly voice and was so tall and awkward that no one would take him seriously.

At last, Anderson decided to become a writer instead. He went back to school. He began writing about travel, and his books were popular in Denmark. When his first book of stories was published, he became famous in many other countries too..