Fifth Grade
Worksheets
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen
Reading Comprehension for April 2
Have you ever heard of Hans Christian Andersen? Even if you haven't, you may have heard of the stories he wrote. Hans Christian Andersen was a great storyteller. He wrote many fairy tales. Among his various masterpieces, The Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Princess and the Pea, The Little Match Girl, and Thumbelina are the most famous.
Hans Christian Andersen was from Odense, Denmark. He was born on April 2, 1805. His father was a shoemaker, and his mother a washerwoman. Andersen's family was very poor. They never had much money. Yet, Andersen's father adored his son. He would buy books and read them to him. Andersen's mother could not read, so she told her son a lot of folktales. Those stories inspired Andersen. They stimulated his imagination. When Andersen was seven years of age, he went to the local theater with his parents. It was his first time watching a play, and he loved it! Right then and there, he decided that he wanted to work in the theater after he grew up.
In 1816, a tragedy hit the family. Andersen's father passed away. Andersen was only eleven years old at the time. To support the family, he began working. Life was not good. Andersen hated his factory jobs. After he turned fourteen, he decided to leave his hometown. He wanted to try his luck in the country's capital, Copenhagen. He wanted to pursue his dream and work in the theater.
