HC Anderson's Odense

If someone asks me, "What's your favorite book?," I'll probably look a bit embarrassed before answering. Sometimes I feel like I need to come up with a really impressive answer, but that's not me. I love books, but I'm not the best reader. The closest I can come to reading deeply into a literary masterpiece is with Of Mice and Men, and that book is tiny. If I have to be honest, I love JK Rowling's Prisoner of Azkaban. The Nightingale. Number the Stars. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Skinnybones. Childhood favorites.

If you're like me, you might be a big fan of Hans Christian (HC) Andersen, who authored many of our childhood classics: The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, The Princess and the Pea, Thumbelina, The Emperor's New Clothes. But do you know what this Danish author has to do with Disney's Frozen? Scroll to the bottom to find out.

Train ride from Fredericia to Odense

Music Library

HC Andersen Museum

Odense is one of those up-and-coming places.
Don't mistake it for a quiet town, and take advantage of it now before it gets too touristy.

Scandinavian design in Scandinavia. Better than IKEA, guys.

St. Canute's Cathedral

HC Andersen's childhood home

HC Andersen wrote The Snow Queen (ahem, Elsa), but that's not all.

Hans. Kristoff. Anna.

Hans. Christian. Andersen!