HCA NEWS Tin Heart and Duckling Feathers

"Tinhjerte og ællingefjer" (Tin Heart and Duckling Feathers) by Louis Jensen, published 1 September 2004, is a gift to the Danish people by the Hans Christian Andersen 2005 Foundation.

By ms - H.C. Andersen 2005 - 30 August 2004

On 1 September a new and novel book by Louis Jensen, "Tinhjerte og ællingefjer" (Tin Heart and Duckling Feathers), will be published on the life and work of Hans Christian Andersen. The book is primarily an educational resource for elementary schools but is equally well suited for home use. The book has been published by Høst & Søn with support by the Hans Christian Andersen 2005 Foundation.

The publication will be issued to elementary schools in Denmark as a gift from the Hans Christian Andersen 2005 Foundation. Every school in Denmark will receive two copies free of charge and will be granted the opportunity of borrowing 30-copy class sets through the Danish regional educational resource centres.

Secretary General of the Hans Christian Andersen 2005 Foundation states:

"Louis Jensen's book offers a unique introduction to the life and work of Hans Christian Andersen. Its qualities as educational resource is especially important to the Hans Christian Andersen 2005 Foundation. It is our aim to convey the life and world of Andersen to children and the young - to new generations and new readers. I believe Louis Jensen's book is an eminent and engaging introduction to the world of Andersen for children and less experienced readers."

Tinhjerte og ællingefjer features an inquisitive boy and a father who is a great fan of Andersen. The boy is to write an essay about the great Danish poet and succeeds in encouraging his father to talk extensively on the subject of Andersen's life and his fairytales, diaries and travelogues, etc. The father shows him many paintings and photos and some of Andersen's own drawings and paper cuts. The narrative deals with Andersen's quirky ways and artistic merit and portrays the time in which Andersen lived as well as the significance of his work in a modern world.

Tinhjerte og ællingefjer is a very personal interpretation of Andersen's life by Danish author Louis Jensen (born 1943) and conveys great insight into the subject. He manages to bring Andersen to life and encourage children of today to read Andersen's fairytales. The book is well suited for reading aloud to children aged between 10 and 11 and to be read by children on their own aged 12-13.

Graphic design by Tove Krebs Lange. Hardback, colour illustrated. Retail price: DKK 199. Available in Danish only.

For further information, please contact Høst & Søn, Press officer Heidi Mikkelsen, Tel.: +45 3338 2868, e-mail: or publisher Anne Mørch-Hansen, Tel.: +45 3338 2859, e-mail:


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