Andrew Lang

Andrew Lang (1844–1912) was a Scottish writer, folklorist, and literary critic best known for editing the beloved series of Fairy Books, including The Blue Fairy Book (1889). Trained at St. Andrews and Oxford, Lang collected and retold traditional stories from around the world, helping preserve global folklore at a time when many oral traditions were fading.

A fun point for parents: Lang’s collections were intended not just to entertain children, but to encourage reading as a shared family experience, with tales chosen for their imaginative value, moral insight, and cultural variety. His books introduced generations of young readers—often aloud, at bedtime—to stories far beyond the European canon, opening windows to folklore from many cultures.