Thumbelina introduced by Isak Dinesen

Here is another fairytale book we have illustrated by Ugo Fontana.  It's a selection of stories by Hans Christian Andersen introduced by that other wonderful Danish author, Isak Dinesen (this is the pen name of Karen Blixen who also wrote about living in Africa in Out of Africa.)  Sandro Nardini shares the illustrating credit.  I've always liked the story The Tinderbox (included in this collection) because of the disturbing image of the "dog with eyes as big as teacups".  

Thumbelina

And Other Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen

introduced by Isak Dinesen

illustrated by Sandro Nardini 

and Ugo Fontana 1962

The Rabbit Catcher

Some fairy tales with rather lovely vintage illustrations.  Instead of the Grimm stories we are so familiar with, these are translated from Ludwig Bechstein's collection of German fairytales and legends.  Randall Jarrell in the introduction describes the stories like this:

"A few fairy tales are like wedding cakes, a few are like old stale soda crackers, and most are like plain rye bread baked in a country oven,  These three stories are rye bread."  

The Rabbit Catcher

And Other Fairy Tales of Ludwig Bechstein

translated by Randall Jarrell

illustrated by Ugo Fontana 1962

(Ugo Fontana was an Italian illustrator and I always enjoy finding his work).