Hans Christian Andersen books in order
Danish writer and poet
- Lived
- 1805–1875
- Country
- Denmark
- Books
- 33
Hans Christian Andersen published 10 novels, 4 short story collections, 2 non-fiction books, 15 children's books and 2 other books, beginning with Thumbelina (1835).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Hans Christian Andersen
Start here
Thumbelina
Hans Christian Andersen's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
The Improvisatore (1835)
Only a Fiddler (1837)
Fairy Tales Told for Children. First Collection (Apr 1837)
The Steadfast Tin Soldier (Oct 1838)
The Flying Trunk (1839)
Ole Lukøje (1841)
New Fairy Tales. First Volume (Nov 1843)
The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep (1845)
The True Story of My Life (1847)
The Tallow Candle (2012)
Short story collections in order
Thumbelina (1835)
Stories and Tales (1870)
Fairy Tales from Hans Christian Andersen (1899)
Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen (2017)
Non-fiction in order
A Poet's Bazaar (1846)
The Story of My Life (1871)
Children's books in order
Little Ida's Flowers (May 1835)
The Princess and the Pea (May 1835)
The Emperor's New Clothes (Apr 1837)
The Little Mermaid (Apr 1837)
The Swineherd (Dec 1841)
The Fir-Tree (1844)
The Little Match Girl (1845)
The Flax (1848)
Pictures of Sweden (1851)
The Sand-hills of Jutland (1860)
The Ice-maiden (1863)
Wild Swans (6016) (1863)
The Nightingale (1896)
Fairy Tales from Hans Andersen (1919)
The Ugly Duckling (1983)
Other books in order
Bilderbuch Ohne Bilder (1864)
The Two Baronesses (1869)
Film and TV adaptations
- World Children's Classics: Thumbelina (1978)Film · from Thumbelina
- Thumbelina (1994)Film · from Thumbelina
- Barbie Thumbelina (2009)Film · from Thumbelina
- Thumbelina: A Magical StoryTV · from Thumbelina
- The Nightingale (1980)Film · from The Emperor's New Clothes
- The Little Mermaid (1976)Film · from The Little Mermaid
- The Little Mermaid (1989)Film · from The Little Mermaid
- The Lure (2015)Film · from The Little Mermaid
- The Little Mermaid (2023)Film · from The Little Mermaid
- The Steadfast Tin Soldier (1955)Film · from The Steadfast Tin Soldier
- Staraya, staraya skazka (1968)Film · from The Swineherd
- The Little Matchgirl (2006)Film · from The Little Match Girl
- The King and the Mockingbird (1980)Film · from The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep
- The Ugly Duckling (1931)Film · from The Ugly Duckling
- Crayola Presents: The Ugly Duckling (1997)Film · from The Ugly Duckling
- Ugly Duckling (2010)Film · from The Ugly Duckling
- StitchTV · from The Ugly Duckling
Free to read
All free classicsAndersen's Fairy Tales
Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen
Stories from Hans Andersen
Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales. Second Series
Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales
Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales. First Series
What the Moon Saw
O. T., A Danish Romance
Wonderful Stories for Children
Rudy and Babette
A Christmas Greeting
About Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish writer. A prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, he is also best remembered for his literary fairy tales.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Hans Christian Andersen FAQ
- How many books has Hans Christian Andersen written?
- Hans Christian Andersen published 10 novels, 4 short story collections, 2 non-fiction books, 15 children's books and 2 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Hans Christian Andersen's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Thumbelina.
- What is Hans Christian Andersen's last book?
- The Story of My Life (1871).
- What is Hans Christian Andersen's most famous book?
- Thumbelina (1835) is Hans Christian Andersen's most widely read book.
- Which Hans Christian Andersen books have been adapted?
- 8 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Thumbelina (as World Children's Classics: Thumbelina, film, 1978), The Emperor's New Clothes (as The Nightingale, film, 1980), The Little Mermaid (film, 1976) and The Steadfast Tin Soldier (film, 1955).
- Can I read Hans Christian Andersen's books for free?
- Yes. 16 books by Hans Christian Andersen are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Hans Christian Andersen
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.