THE UGLY DUCKLING



BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Pinkney, Jerry.(adapted and ill). 1999. The Ugly Duckling. New York. Morrow Junior Books.

ISBN: 0-688-15933-8

AWARDS:

Caldecott Honor Book 2000

ALA Notable Children's Book

PLOT SUMMARY:

     In this classic tale first told by Hans Christian Anderson and adapted by Jerry Pinkney, a baby swan's search for friends and acceptance is poignantly portrayed. Not knowing that one day he will become a beautiful swan, the little duckling spends the first year of his life being hated, ridiculed and bullied by all except his mother. He leaves his home and sets out on a journey to find a place where he fits in. During his journey, he survives many trials and the dangers of the hunters and ice covered ponds. The duckling finally finds a place where he can belong and fit in. The tale ends with the duckling discovering that he has turned into a beautiful swan and finding a place of love and acceptance with other swans.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

     Any child who has ever been the object of ridicule and bullying will relate to this story. Pinkney's  illustrations are in keeping with the time in which it was originally written and the new characters he introduces makes the story even more interesting. The simple plot of the duckling's journey to find a place to belong and the conflicts he faced, serve to make the entire book an inspiration to others who have traveled down that same road.

     The watercolor illustrations are big and simply beautiful. They make you feel like you are right in the pages with the duckling as he goes through his first year. Having them spread across two pages keeps the book from looking "busy," meaning that it incorporates so much on a page that it distracts the reader.

Looking at the farm on the first page, one really feels like they are looking across the fence at a farmhouse. Pinkney's illustrations are like this on every page. The combination of text and pictures reach out and pull the reader into the story so they feel like they are actually there.

REVIEW EXCERPTS:

KIRKUS: "Outstanding illustrations and some new characters make Pinkney's retelling of a familiar tale

          memorable."

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE: "A truly lovely adaptation of this classic story."

CONNECTIONS:

     This book would be excellent to get children to open up about their feelings about bullying and how people should be treated no matter what they look like. Other versions of the story could also be read to compare and contrast the different versions.

     Other related books to read are:

          The Goose Girl by the Brothers Grimm

          The Berenstain Bears and the Bully  by Stan Berenstain