Wonderful Stories for Children

This 1846 Wiley & Putnam printing of Wonderful Stories for Children represents a major milestone in nineteenth-century publishing, marking the first introduction of Hans Christian Andersen to American readers. Translated from the Danish by Mary Howitt, this edition was issued as part of the publisher's "Library of Choice Reading" series. The volume features the American debuts of ten foundational tales, including global classics such as "The Ugly Duckling," "The Constant Tin Soldier," "The Real Princess" (The Princess and the Pea), and "The Ole Luckoie." By presenting these imaginative, emotionally complex narratives to a new audience for the first time, this specific release laid the groundwork for Andersen’s long-term presence and influence within American children's literature.

Adding a unique point of interest for antiquarian collectors is a notable typographical blunder on the initial print run, where the author’s name is misspelled on the title page as "Hans Christian Anderson." This editorial oversight serves as a clear historical indicator of how unfamiliar the Danish writer's name still was to the American public in the mid-1840s. Because these volumes were issued either in flexible paper wrappers or basic publisher's cloth, they were highly susceptible to standard nursery wear and degradation over the generations. Finding an authentic 1846 copy that has survived with its text block intact remains an uncommon and sought-after occurrence for collectors specializing in early Americana, classic fairy tales, and historical printings.

Green cloth boards with gilt illustration of a child on upper cover and blind embossing to both covers. Gilt details and lettering to spine. Small ‘Ex Libris’ book plate paste down to interior board. Some damp staining to title page and foxing to a few pages within. Damp staining around margins throughout. Beginning of separation from end papers connection to the spine, but fully intact. Chipping to head and foot of spine and rubbing to extremities. All corners bumped. Good condition.