Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tale Collection, illustrated by Josef Paleček / ISBN 9780735843806 / a 160-page hardcover, 8.5 x 11 inches, from NorthSouth Books / apparently now out of print

My store has been lacking in Czech illustration titans (who I featured so often on 50 Watts), so I was happy to find this super nice edition collecting five books illustrated by Paleček: The Ugly Duckling (1971), The Emperor's New Clothes (1974), Thumbelina (1975), The Little Mermaid (1981), and The Nightingale (1990).

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Josef Palecek was born in Czechoslovakia. He studied at the Karls University in Prague. Afterwards he started working as a freelance designer and illustrator. He became widely known through numerous exhibitions in Czechoslovakia and abroad. His books for children have been published by 70 publishers in 26 countries worldwide. “Work for children appeals to me because of their innocence, directness and spontaneity. Because of how prepared they are to join in a game.”