Thumbelina and Other Fairy Tales (Naxos Junior Classics) [Abridged, Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

Hans Christian Andersen (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Naxos Junior Classics

This delightful selection of stories by one of the classic masters of the genre includes some well-known and lesser known tales, presented in lively Naxos AudioBooks style with music and sound effects. This recording is also unique in that the stories are read by the finalists in the Naxos AudioBooks/ The Times Voice of the Year competition which offered a recording opportunity to talented readers who had never studied or worked professionally. The competition produced some outstanding natural talents as this recording shows!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-6–An enjoyable collection of stories by Hans Christian Andersen are read by finalists in the 2004 Voice of the Year competition. The contestants were required too have no formal drama training or professional acting experience. The backgrounds of the male and female readers ranged from business communications, classroom teacher, student, and legal director to stand-up comedian. The range of reading techniques here is fascinating and will hold listeners' attention. For example, Eleanor Buchan employs very proper British pronunciations in her reading of Thumbelina, with a minimal amount of variety in pace or pitch to differentiate characters. Paul Rew, on the other hand, differentiates each character by the pitch and timber of his voice in The Flying Trunk. The Brave Tin Soldier, The Princess and the Pea, The Butterfly,  The Flea and the Professor, The Metal Pig, The Storks, The Silver Shilling, and The Nightingale round out this collection. Each unabridged story opens with a piano selection that sets the tone for the tale. Sound effects, including rain and cannons, are used appropriately. An outstanding recording of terrific stories, wonderfully told.–Stephanie Bange, Wilmington-Stroop Branch, Dayton Metro Library, OH
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From AudioFile

Hans Christian Andersen's body of fairy tales is large. This recording includes several of the oft-told, such as "The Nightingale," "The Brave Tin Soldier," and the title story, as well as the less familiar "Metal Pig," set in Florence, and the whimsical "Flea and the Professor." No matter what the tale, Andersen's attention to nature's detail and his reflection on the sorrow and hardship life brings are ever present and beckon the listener back again and again. Each narrator is suited to his or her tale. Thumbelina's voice comes through as sensitive and delicate. The emperor's is pompous, but then contrite at the point when the nightingale's wisdom is understood. Enjoy reconnecting with Andersen's stories and sampling the freshness of promising new narrators. A.R. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Audio CD
• Publisher: Naxos Audiobooks; Unabridged edition (April 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9626343354
• ISBN-13: 978-9626343357
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 4.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #910,208 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent choice for auditory learners, September 13, 2008

By 

Fancy Nancy (New England) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Thumbelina and Other Fairy Tales (Naxos Junior Classics) (Audio CD)

Very pleasant speaking voices, the classical music is well done and offsets the stories nicely without overwhelming the narrative. The stories have morals well worth listening to in the car or at bedtime. The prose is well-written and has an excellent selection of vocabulary words presented in a very straight-forward and intelligent format. Thumbelina was one of the stories with which I was previously familiar and the others will soon become favorites, as with most of Hans Christian Anderson. Wonderful way to expose children to the written word in an interesting format. The stories do not seem to be altered from the original prose, although I would have to check that to be sure. Excellent choice for auditory learners.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Super Value, July 15, 2009

By 

William B. Anderson "Wm." (Mount Juliet, TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thumbelina and Other Fairy Tales (Naxos Junior Classics) (Audio CD)

The production is great; and, I just found the same audiobook (Thumbelina and Other Fairy Tales) packaged with an additional three audiobooks from Naxos AudioBooks' Junior Classics series: Happy Endings [AUDIOBOOK] [SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION] (Audio CD)by Hans Christian Andersen (Author), The Brothers Grimm (Author).

All four audiobooks @ $15.59- That's a value!