Ugly Duckling, Vol. 1

An ugly duckling spends an unhappy year ostracized by the other animals before he grows into a beautiful swan.

Children's Literature

One day, eight pretty, fluffy yellow ducklings are born. Out of the ninth egg in the nest hatches an ugly duckling. The ugly duckling doesn't fit into the crowd and is banished from the flock. His hunt to find acceptance leads him to a flock of swans who invite him to fly with them. However, he has not learned to fly yet. As the days go by, he grows stronger and stronger. In the spring, he is finally able to join the swans and discovers that he is a beautiful swan, too. This is the classic tale retold in an easy-to-read fashion.

Harriet Ziefert has been making magic with words for many years. She is the author of over 200 books for young readers. A mother of two and grandmother of five, she lives in South Orange, New Jersey.

Liz Murphy was born and raised in England and attended the Kingston Art College, where she majored in graphic design. She currently lives with her husband and two sons in Montclair, New Jersey. Liz has illustrated four other picture books for Blue Apple.