A daisy was growing peacefully next to a country road, forgotten by everyone, but happy. She liked feeling the sun on her petals and listening to the birds sing. Nothing seemed likely to trouble her happiness, but many things can change from one day to the next.Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was a Danish author, poet and artist. Celebrated for children’s literature, his most cherished fairy tales include The Emperor s New Clothes , The Little Mermaid , The Nightingale , The Steadfast Tin Soldier , The Snow Queen , The Ugly Duckling and The Little Match Girl . His books have been translated into every living language, and today there is no child or adult that has not met Andersen s whimsical characters. His fairy tales have been adapted to stage and screen countless times, most notably by Disney with the animated films The Little Mermaid in 1989 and Frozen , which is loosely based on The Snow Queen , in 2013. Thanks to Andersen s contribution to children s literature, his birth date, April 2, is celebrated as International Children s Book Day.
