Now this is exactly what an illustrated collection of fairytales should be! Wonderful stories in their original format (or close enough to, since Andersen didn't write in English) are paired with a good mix of line illustrations and paintings, which are further solidified with well-designed page layout, book size, and quality inking and paper. I would expect nothing less of Viking publishers, as they generally produce very high quality reproductions of historical fairytale collections from all the great authors and illustrators. I've seen most of Kay Nielsen's illustrations before (and always find them wonderful), but I must really read more of Hans Christian Andersen's stories, since they are quite well developed for children's stories. ( )