The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales

Hans Christian Andersen was born in Odense, Denmark, to a father who claimed to be related to nobility. After school, he worked as a weaver's apprentice and as a tailor's assistant. At 14, he moved to Copenhagen to be an actor, and was accepted into the Royal Danish Theatre. His career ended when his voice changed, and he decided to become a writer. He published his first story, The Ghost at Palnatoke's Grave, in 1822. An acquaintance paid all expenses to send him to grammar school in Slagelse....

Jacob Grimm is the author behind Prentice Hall Literature, a familiar name for many who've explored classic stories and literary analysis. His work focuses on bringing the world of literature to readers.

Wilhelm Grimm, alongside his brother Jacob, brought us classic fairy tales like those found in Prentice Hall Literature. Their collected works are a cornerstone of folklore and children's literature.

Joseph Jacobs collected and retold classic stories, most notably his Indian Fairy Tales. He had a knack for bringing folklore to life for readers.

The French author who laid the foundations for the fairy tale genre of literature. His collected "Contes des fées" (widely known as the Mother Goose stories) have been endlessly retold, most profitably by Disney. Every child knows "Cinderella", "Beauty and the Beast", "Sleeping Beauty", "Snow White", "Puss in Boots", "Tom Thumb", and "Red Riding Hood". Charles Perrault naquit a Paris le 12 janvier 1628, septieme enfant de Pierre Perrault, avocat au parlement de Paris. Apres d'excellentes etud...

Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin (Russian: Ива́н Я́ковлевич Били́бин, 16 August [O.S. 4 August] 1876 – 7 February 1942) was a Russian illustrator and stage designer who took part in the Mir iskusstva, contributed to the Ballets Russes, co-founded the Union of Russian Artists (Russian: Сою́з ру́сских худо́жников) and from 1937 was a member of the Artists' Union of the USSR. Ivan Bilibin gained popularity with his illustrations of Russian folk tales and Slavic folklore. Throughout his career he was inspir...

George Cruikshank was a celebrated illustrator whose work brought to life classic novels like Sir Walter Scott's Peveril of the Peak. He was a master of caricature and social commentary, often illustrating tales of adventure and historical fiction.

Arthur Rackham was an illustrator whose unique vision shaped many classic tales. He is well-known for his work on "The Old-fashioned children's storybook." His illustrations remain a favorite in children's literature.