Hans Christian Andersen was born on April 2, 1805, in Odense, Denmark. A prolific writer, Andersen is best known for his fairy tales, which have been translated into more than 125 languages. By the time he died in Copenhagen in 1875, his work was known all over the world.

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.”