The Emperor's New Clothes

The Emperor's New Clothes by Hans Christian Anderson, retold by Carol Sorgen, A mini fairy tale Classic, Ottenheimer Publishers, 1995.

I did not remember this tale as being Hans Christian Anderson.  It is one of those classic stories.  This story shows us that naivete is sometimes pure wisdom.  And why should the emperor run around in his underwear, just to show that he was smart.  Sometimes pride can get the best of us.

Children's Book Review: The Ugly Duckling (El Patito Feo)

The Ugly Duckling (El Patito Feo), adaptation by Merce Escardo I Bas and illustrated by Max, Chronicla Books, San Francisco, CA 1997.  This is a dual language book.  I like these as I can compare side by side and thereby improve my Spanish.  It seems there is always a word to add to my vocabulary.
This is based on the classic Hans Christian Andersen story, although he is not credited.  The story is pretty much the basic Ugly Duckling story, however it adds some depth as it tells what happened to the duck over the winter when he left the other ducklings to be to himself.  You can only put up with so much negativity.
I really like the theme; we never know what we will turn out to be and should not base our feelings of self on the opinions of others who do not know where we come form.  At the same time, others should give up the bullying and negativity and realize we all have a place.  Illustrations are adequate.  I like the necks of the swans.

Story Review: The Fir Tree: Hans Christian Anderson

This is a story about a tree who wants to be useful.  This tree was a complainer.  It had plenty of sunshine and warmth, but complained it wasn't as large as the older trees.  When he had reached his full growth, woodcutters came and chopped down tress, hauling them away.  He wondered where they could have gone, and wished he could have joined them.  He was advised by his friends to savor his youth.  Then the woodmen returned and selected the most beautiful trees, hauling them off with their branches in tact.  He again was skipped and complained he was taller than some trees taken.  The sparrows knew where they had gone, for they had seen then in houses decorated and adorned.  The tree could not rejoice in his own lot, in the fresh air and sunshine, but was always wanting to be someplace else.  Then just before Christmas it was taken and placed in a large courtyard of a home.  It was adorned and beautified.  hen the children rushed in, and pulled the presents that had been left in its branches.  The tree thought they would decorate it again, but instead it was placed in the attic and forgotten.  When is was pulled out it was old an brittle.  It was taken outside in the sun.  The children thought it ugly.  It befriended a mouse who talked to it of its life.  The tree regretted that it hadn't enjoyed its youth.

Book Review: The Steadfast Tin Soldier

The Steadfast Tin Soldier: by Hans Christian Anderson, retold by Tor Seidler illustrated by Fred Marcellino, Michael de Capua Book, Harper Collins Publisher, New York, 1992.
This is a delightful version of this beautiful story.  In looking at the illustration I understand how the tin may have run out, leaving one soldier with just one leg.  How the Jack-in-the-box goblin could be so mean I never know, but sometimes people just have a mean streak.  This mean streak effects a little boy which plays a big part in our story.  The tin soldier, and the dancing girl fall in love through their glances, and that love comes to manifestation in the most interesting way.  This is well done and a beautiful book.

Short Movie Review: *The Little Match Girl - Bedtime Story (BedtimeStory.TV)

All I can say is I did not like this version of the Little Match Girl.  This version has dialogue, and the dialogue and the narration took away from the story rather than adding anything.

The Little Match Girl 3D

This is another Little Match Girl, with Vietnamese titles.  However as this is also a non verbal version it works.  This version leaves off the grandmother carrying the little girl to heaven, which is my favorite part.

The Little Match Girl - Devojcica Sa Sibicama

This is Hans Christian Andersen's classic tale set to music, with no dialogue.  In this case it doesn't need more as the story is told beautifully.  The story is set around the holidays, originally New Year's Eve.  Andersen thought he had written a beautiful and happy ending, with the little girl being carried to heaven by her grandmother, there to see Heavenly Father.  However this story has been used to focus on the plight of the poor and the homeless.

Hans Christian Andersen Stories: Short Movies: Nightingale; the Little Match Girl, The Red Shoes

This is a collection of three Hans Christian Andersen shorts by Critic's Choice
Nightingale: This short is actually very entertaining.  It places this story as an essay on the Japanese emperor, and his relationship with a nightingale who sings beautifully.  However the nightingale insists on being free, and sometimes this is hard if you are the emperor and want to have the nightingale sing at will.  He chases the bird away, for a wind-up nightingale.  However this bird breaks, and so finally he has nothing.  He becomes sick, but the nightingale returns and sings to revive the emperor.

The Little Match Girl:  This is a very good presentation of this classic story, with a different ending.  It puts the emphasis on the homeless, and how we usually ignore them.  However in this case this is corrected as the match Girl almost dies, but they people repent of their callous ways after seeing her blue and cold.

The Red Shoes.  This short I didn't care for because a family changes it's outlook on life by winning the lottery.  However the art is very good, and the story of a friendship restored is also fun.  It is interesting how the red shoes play a part in this.

Movie Review: **^Disney Animation Collection Volumn 5

This collection features Wind in the Willows which I previously reviewed with another collection.
http://mmboebillywardle.blogspot.com/2014/03/movie-review-adventures-of-ichabod-and.html
It also includes five other animated shorts.
The Ugly Duckling: This is a Disney take on the Hans Christian Andersen classic.  The Ugly Duckling does not fit in, and is ostracized by his brothers as well as his mother.  However he does find his own kind, and is happy with his lot in the end.
The Grasshopper and the Ants:  This is based on the Aesop fable, but has a different ending.  The grasshopper likes to play the violin more than prepare for the winter.  However when winter comes, he is cold and starving.  In this instance the ants take him in because his skill of playing the violin can benefit the entire colony.
The Golden Touch:  This short is based on Greek mythology, and the king who whatever he touched it turned to gold.  This short deals with greed, and that everything is relative.  Even though everything turns to gold, there is nothing to eat but gold.  So someone with this curse cannot eat.  In this version Midas is restored to his former self, but gives away everything he possesses for the honor.
The Robber Kitten:  A kitten learns that the life of a robber is not all glamor, and sometimes minding your mother and having your bath is the right thing to do. 
The Wise Little Hen: This is based on the Russian folk tale "The Little Red Hen."  The hen asks both Peter Pig and Donald Duck to help her plant her corn, and then to help her harvest her corn.  Both time they cannot help because the have upset tummies.  When it is time to eat the corn they get castor oil in their bowl.