This Danish poet and author of numerous plays is best remembered for his fairy tales. He was born in Odense but lived the greater part of his life in Copenhagen. Andersen’s fairy tales have been translated into more than 125 languages and have become culturally embedded in Western collective consciousness. The first collection Eventyr fortalte for B?rn was published in 1835 in Copenhagen. Encouraged by its great success, Andersen kept on writing other collections of fairy tales until 1872.
April 2, Andersen’s birthday, is celebrated as the International Children’s Book Day.