The Emperor's New Clothes

by Hans Christian Andersen, Anne Rockwell (Illustrator)

The Emperor, his court, and clothes -- or lack of them -- are ridiculous as only Hans Christian Andersen can make them. The whole is a delightful concoction.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books, Classics, Fairy Tales, Fiction, Short Stories, Fantasy

32 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2007

About the author

Hans Christian Andersen (often referred to in Scandinavia as H.C. Andersen) was a Danish author and poet. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, Andersen is best remembered for his fairy tales. Andersen's popularity is not limited to children; his stories — called eventyr, or "fairy-tales" — express themes that transcend age and nationality.

Andersen's fairy tales, which have been translated into more than 125 languages, have become culturally embedded in the West's collective consciousness, readily accessible to children, but presenting lessons of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity for mature readers as well. Some of his most famous fairy tales include "The Little Mermaid", "The Ugly Duckling", "The Nightingale", "The Emperor's New Clothes" and many more. His stories have inspired plays, ballets, and both live-action and animated films.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The retelling of the classic story, the emperor is a little high on himself and loves to flaunt his endless supply of new clothes. When two robbers, posing as weavers, arrive at court, they promise to create such a wonderful outfit that only those worth of their posts and with enough intellect will actually be able to see the fabric. The emperor is curious and hires them on the spot, promising any and all supplies that they need. As the weaving progresses, the emperor is curious and sends a representative to check on how things are going. While the minister can see nothing, he feigns excitement, as he does not want to be scorned back at court. Another brings back the same report until the emperor also comes to see things. Again, he does not wish to be mocked, so he plays along as though he can see it. On the day of the procession through the town, the entire crowd watches as the emperor struts along sans clothes, as they, too, pretend they can see something. It is only when a small voice speaks the truth that the entire town admits what the actually see. The story was good but Neo was forced to ask many questions, more because of the prose used. He liked the story and the idea, though perhaps the delivery was a little lost on him.

[Loretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

A whimsical tale with a good moral compass. 🤗

[Shirley Revill · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my children's and grandchildrens favourite stories. I also loved the stories by Hans Christian Andersen when I was a child. A wonderful classic children's book.

[Daren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Penguin 60's edition is a selection of short stories taken from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales collection.
The Emperors New Clothes is the known story, some others somewhat familiar, some quite original.
Andersen has a talent for bringing the inanimate to life - in this selection a brass pig, a matchstick, a bottle.
Being 9/10th of the way through The Book of Thousand Nights and One Night, these stories somehow don't hold the same level of interest, but that is always going to be a hard act to follow.
For me these sit in the three to four star range, but probably 3 in this case.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Emperor's New Clothes, illustrated by John Alfred Rowe.

Hans Christian Andersen's classic tale of a fashion-conscious emperor who falls victim to two swindlers, who convince him that they can weave cloth invisible to the stupid and professionally unfit, is adapted and illustrated here by John Alfred Rowe, whose quirky style is unmistakable. A red-cheeked emperor (a doll, a clown?), is attended by mice and monkeys, while the two cheats are depicted as sly foxes. Bright, contrasting colors, and humorous details - the monkeys cover their eyes with their hands when the emperor is trying on his new "clothes," the emperor himself cavorts about naked (backside only, parents!) - create an energetic, entertaining visual counterpart to the text.

Unfortunately, although I liked Rowe's artwork here, his retelling was somewhat less pleasing. Three of the first four sentences end with the words "new clothes," a deliberate repetition that serves as an early warning of a narrative trying just a little too hard to be winsome and fresh. The conclusion goes a little further than the original, having the emperor clown around in his birthday suit in front of the crowds (thereby winning their approval), and declare "The Emperor's No Clothes Day." These changes felt unnecessary and forced to me, adding little to the appeal of this retelling. All in all, an adaptation sure to appeal to the artist's fans, thought perhaps not to Andersen's.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was read this year [February 2020] with my youngest niece [she had never even heard of the story], so it was purchased and we read it and she loved it. I knew she would as I had loved this story when I was a child too and still today think that there are good lessons to be learned here.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Emperor's New Clothes, illustrated by Anne Rockwell.

Originally published in 1837, as part of his Eventyr, fortalte for Børn (Fairy Tales, Told for Children), The Emperor's New Clothes is one of Hans Christian Andersen's most popular original fairy-tales. It also one of his most humorous, and this little miniature retelling, based on the nineteenth-century translation of H.W. Dulcken, and illustrated by Anne Rockwell, taps into that pointed hilarity. With colorful, appealing illustrations that stop just short of being cartoons, and a somewhat shortened text, this adaptation would be ideal for younger children.

[Angelina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The popular Andersen story is retold in rhyme and accompanied with Alison Jay's stunning illustrations that truly make this picture book shine!

[Coenraad · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in the Penguins 60 set. It contains six Andersen stories, only one of which is familiar to me: 'The emperor's new clothes'. Some of the othes sound familiar, as folk tales are retold and morphed into new shapes. Others are startingly original. I need to read Andersen more widely, not only know the familiar stories! This little book is a useful introduction. The other stories are: 'The bronze pig', 'Little Claus and Big Claus' (reminiscent of some Till Eulenspiegel stories), 'The flying trunk', 'The bottle' and 'The girl who stepped on bread'.

Hierdie ses verhale van Hans Andersen is fassinerend omdat dit 'n beeld gee van sy minder bekende verhale. Slegs 'Die keiser se nuwe klere' is aan my bekend. Andersen se vertelvermoë is besonders: ek moet beslis meer van hom lees. Marié Opperman se vertalings in Afrikaans is nie meer in druk nie, maar sal die moeite werd wees om te probeer opspoor!

[carl theaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hans Christian Andersen, now there's a name you don't
hear much once you're out of childhood. Well, perhaps
parents do, reading to their kids.

This is a handy, short volume of 6 stories, great
for taking along on a plane. 'The Emperor's New Clothes'
is the well-known tale, but I found the others
engaging. He has a knack for bringing inanimate
objects to life, bronze pigs, bottles, match sticks.

[Evie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stories in this collection:
The Emperor's New Clothes - 5⭐️ (the most relevant of all fairytales to our modern times, I'd say)
The Bronze Pig - 2⭐️
Little Claus and Big Claus - 3⭐️
The Flying Trunk - 1⭐️
The Bottle - 4⭐️
The Girl Who Stepped on Bread - 3⭐️

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 2 out of 5]

An odd conception, somewhat cartoon-like. The slight change to the ending isn't an improvement.

[Tommy Verhaegen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather dark reading. Except for the emperors clothes, the stories were unknown to me.

[Stacy Renee (LazyDayLit) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Emperor's New Clothes, as told by Marcus Sedgwick, and illustrated by Alison Jay, whom we rather enjoy!

Read this with my 6yo for B&R's-1st (and 2nd) grade LA curriculum.

[Alison Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don’t we all love a selection of dark fairytales about pride and greed .

[Kanwarpal Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story of an foolish king who spend his money on clothes and waste it until 2 cunning weavers promise him a cloth that is Seen worthy and only seen by person who is not a fool , he ordered it but can't see but he can't afford to unworthy or foolish among his courtiers and people in the palace.


He presume to see that until he wear it and roam in kingdom he can't decipher the real value of the clothes and when truth came out he stopped his obsession and now rule fairly and give decision.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute story about an Emperor who was so greedy and only wanted the best of everything! So much so he employed a designer to create a special outfit of the finest threads. When they were done, he had to show them off so he decided to show the whole town. Nobody was brave enough to say that he was naked, until one young child spoke up! I just love all of the Andersen stories.

[Luke Pete · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I certainly am not stupid."
thought the officer.

[Manny Villa]

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[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A version of "The Emperor's New Clothes" with beautiful illustrations by Virginia Lee Burton. A lovely version of the tale.

[Jiali · Rating 5 out of 5]

The symmetry of the drawing wow! Cover is so vintage looking too

[Diana Salazar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A moral lesson as old as I can remember

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite stories from when I was a kid!

[Bill Stutzman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Virginia Lee Burton's charming illustrations and telling of this tale make it lively and memorable. Great edition.

[Drew Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

There once was a vain and superficial emperor who lived for his wardrobe. When two fellows appeared claiming to be able to make clothes that are exquisite and lavish and visible to all who are not stupid or unfit for their position. The emperor and his court are soon taken in by their claim, even though as time passes no one is able to actually see what they are weaving on their looms (not that any of them would ever admit it).

This one was a stretch for my Disney source material read-through, as The Emperor's New Groove is baaaaaaarely based on this story (in similarity of name and barebones character elements borrowed from the emperor), but it was fun to read anyway. This was never my favorite of the well-known Andersen stories, but I can definitely see its layers and messages reading as an adult (perhaps these days more than ever). There seem to be some barely-disguised political/social statements here, and they apply today as well as they did when they were written, I'm sure. The colorful illustrations by Dorothée Duntze are stylistically interesting and nicely detailed, though some of the character designs were a bit off-putting here and there.

This isn't my favorite Hans Christian Andersen story, but it has some pretty interesting elements, even (especially?) to a more mature reader. Part fairy tale, part satire, it's funny to think about how many emperors are walking around naked these days without any small child to point it out to everyone else who's too afraid or unwilling to.

[MindfulMuslimReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an anthropomorphic retelling of The Emperor’s New Clothes, a classic folktale originally written by Hans Christian Andersen, highlighting the vice of materialism and the virtue of honesty. A king demands the best clothing in the kingdom so his subjects think highly of him. What he lacks in self-confidence, he covers up with an ostentatious display of clothing. A victim of his own desires for acclaim and material goods, he falls prey to the lie being presented to him and parades through his kingdom wearing nothing at all. Equally, if not more, disturbing is the collective silence of all his subjects—both the court and the commoners. It takes the courage of the smallest member of the kingdom to speak the truth and reveal the most foolish one of all—the king himself. This timely story highlights the importance of having the courage to speak the truth even when you are alone. Because the illustrations are of animals instead of humans, this retelling is uniquely free from nude drawings found in most versions of this story.

Find teaching tools and more here.

We rate children's books for virtue, language, story, and beauty and flag content advisories when needed. We read cover to cover so you don’t have to.

Read more at MindfulMuslimReader.com.
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[Hannah Holthaus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not remember reading this story when I was younger and found it very entertaining! It was about an emperor who was obsessed with his clothing. He hired two weavers to create the most beautiful clothes for him. The weavers told the emperor that only special people of high ranking could see the clothing. They asked for gold and silver thread to create the clothes. The emperor was afraid that he was not going to be able to see his clothing so he sent other people in to check on the progress of his clothes. Everyone that got sent into the room could not see the clothes because the weavers were just pretending to create them while they stole the thread. They continued to ask for more and more thread and continued with the lie. Everyone was afraid to tell the emperor that they could not see his clothes. When it was finally time for the party, the weavers pretended to dress the emperor in his clothes. Everyone said that the clothes were fabulous and the emperor pretended that he could see his outfits. It wasn't until a child yelled, "the emperor is naked!" It was then, in front of everyone, that the emperor realized he was naked.

[Meredith · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is picture book retelling of The Emperor's New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen.

Two conmen swindle a vain emperor out of money by promising to make him a beautiful suit of clothing that will be invisible to people who are stupid or unfit for their jobs. The swindlers pretend to weave cloth and present an imaginary suit of clothing to the Emperor. The emperor and his retinue are afraid to admit that they don't see anything and praise the clothing. The emperor processes naked through city, believing he is wearing a beautiful suit of clothing, and all his subjects admire the clothing they cannot see until a child points out that the emperor has no clothes, humiliating the emperor.

The text is comprised of rhyming couplets, and the characters are anthropomorphic animals.

[Kaitlin McDonough · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Emperor's New Clothes is filled with end rhyme that helps the story move along and your eyes seem to dance across the page. There could be many themes taken away from this book which is good because you can teach students that there might be more than one theme in any kind of literature. Just a few of these themes include; material things don't make the person, treat your friends with care, and don't always believe everything people tell you.

The illustrations in this book are quite unique because they have a crackle overlay. This makes the illustrations look older and that the story has been told many times. I think students will really enjoy this book because it rhymes and is fun to read.