Ugly Duckling

An unusually beautiful version of an old favorite.

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

The simplified telling here may be more palatable to younger readers, but it flattens the story, making what was poetic stiff and what was funny too protracted. But San Souci's illustrations rescue the edition, in the colors of a faded, favorite patchwork quiltmuted, with many patterns and quaint touches that contribute to a period setting. Certainly, there was never a more downtrodden, woebegone duckling, who later, unaware of his own new beauty, cannot raise his head in front of the swans; he's afraid that his own ugliness will so offend them that they'll want to kill him. Ages 47. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Crossley-Holland (Storm) and So (The 20th Century Children's Poetry Treasury) bring out all the luster of Andersen's classic tale in this beguiling book. The familiar sequence of events unfolds in a courtly retelling shot through with flashes of humor ("That's a turkey's egg," says a duck elder authoritatively before the "duckling" hatches; "Waddle properly keep your legs well apart, like I do," the mother duck urges her strange child). Crossley-Holland's prose is as elegant as it is lyrical ("Sunlight settled on the shoulders of the ancient castle"; "A great skein of wild geese started up"; "Clouds sagged with snow and hail"). So's dexterous, impressionistic watercolors soar between blocks of text on the spreads for a highly dynamic presentation. The images are by turn droll, dreamlike and bittersweet, ranging from a dog splashing wildly through the marsh and the busy congress of a barnyard to the supple arch of a bird's neck against a winter sky. The equal of the striking prose, So's graceful brush strokes and expressive use of line issue an irresistible invitation to readers. Ages 5-8. (Sept.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

The translation of Andersen's Danish text (copyright page states simply that this is adapted from W. Angeldorff's translation) may be dense and formal, but Italian artist Angaramo's full-bleed spreads are anything but. Novel visual angles, human expressions on the faces of the animals, and plenty of bright greenery and golden sun convey a feeling of optimism at odds with the sober tale. Angaramo's duckling is a tiny grayish fellow with huge feet and cheerful pinprick eyes. The text describes the trials he undergoes because of his odd appearance: "the poor ugly duckling was bitten, pushed, and sneered at both by the ducks and the hens." But though Angaramo's ugly duckling stands alone in the big barnyard (viewed from bird's-eye level, the barn and haystacks appear as high as mountains), the animals who encircle him talking excitedly, with shining eyes; they might be complimenting his nice gray plumage. Even in the worst of the cold ("Just thinking about winter was enough to make one feel frozen, and the poor duckling certainly had a very bad time of it"), Angaramo's duckling lifts his wings happily, a smile on his face. As an introduction to Andersen's traditional tales, this is as benign an entry as parents could hope to find. Ages 4-up. (Apr.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Pinkney's (Rikki-Tikki-Tavi) supple, exquisitely detailed watercolors provide a handsome foil to his graceful adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen classic. This "duckling" is teased unmercifully by his apparent siblings but loved by the mother duck: "He may not be quite as handsome as the others," she says, "but... I am sure he will make his way in the world as well as anybody." Eventually he runs away, and as the seasons turn, the fledgling has a series of adventures, from a close encounter with a hunting dog to getting trapped in ice. All the while he is growing, transforming, and in the triumphant ending, he finds peace and happiness when his real identity is revealed to himself and to readers. Pinkney's artwork is a swan song to the beauty of the pastoral, and his lush images flow across the pages in sweeping vistas and meticulous close-ups. Whether depicting the subtle patterns and colors of a duck's feathers, the murky twilight of a freshwater pond or the contrast of red berries against dried grasses etched with snow, Pinkney's keenly observed watercolors honor nature in all its splendor. A flawlessly nuanced performance by a consummate craftsman. Ages 3-up. (Mar.)

Children's Literature

This picture book edition of one of Hans Christian Anderson's most memorable tales is perfectly suited to the older reader. The impressionist-like color paintings on marbleized backgrounds are exquisite. The soft lime green and yellow change to deep brown and gold as the seasons change from spring to fall, and then change again to the icy grays and blues of winter. The strength of this new translation is in the illustrations, as the text is unremarkable. Whereas the updated and straightforward language may have appeal to the reader who eschews the fairy tale genre, the enchantment of language common to earlier translations is not to be found here. Purchase where supplemental materials are needed. 2005, Penguin Young Readers Group, Ages 5 to 8.
—Carole J. McCollough

Children's Literature

True to the original version of the story, this interpretation has humor, drama and poignancy as the awkward young cygnet journeys toward his real identity. Andersen's most famous fable of an outcast is retold with well-contrasted woodcuts. The lyrical narration bursts with vivid description and challenging vocabulary.

Children's Literature

Follow the adventures of a poor duckling scorned by all because he is different. When Spring comes he triumphs because he is now a swan. This classic story is richly enhanced byVan Nutt's wonderful illustrations that capture the beauty and colors of the ever changing seasons and the ugly ducklings journey through life's sorrows and joys.

Children's Literature

Many of Andersen's fairy tales do not have a truly happy ending, but the story of the ugly duckling is one that ends in triumph. The duckling is not like his brothers and sisters and is taunted by them and the other ducks. His mother is protective, but the little duckling is treated so badly that he sets out on his own. After suffering much privation, he suddenly sees a flock of the same beautiful birds that flew by many months ago. He glories in his newfound wings and the strength coursing through his body and decided to join them. Much to his surprise they welcome him, for he too has become a beautiful white swan. Pinkney's watercolors are wonderful. From the mother duck's surprise at the large egg that takes so long to hatch, to the poor ducklings struggles to survive during the harsh winter to the warmth and beauty of spring and his reunion with those who welcome him as one of their own. The sunlight on the water and around the beautiful swan are a reflection of the golden glow of inner joy. A truly lovely adaptation of this classic story.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 4-This adaptation of an Andersen favorite is faithful to the details and weight of the familiar story but has a bit less verbosity. The deft paintings, filling single pages and sometimes spread across two pages, are sunny and comic. As in other picture-book renditions, the extra-large hatchling-with his pale gray down, big feet, and winning smile-is not really ugly, just different from others in the barnyard. The various birds are colorfully feathered with graceful, elongated necks. Robert Ingpen's handsome version Minedition, 2005 richly expresses the darker side of the tale but is wordier at the outset. Jerry Pinkney's rendition Morrow, 1999 is livelier in both words and pictures. If you have room for one more, Angaramo's interpretation is competent and attractive.-Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3 --This version of the familiar tale emphasizes the suffering of the duckling whose only misfortune is being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The duckling is depicted in both text and art as ugly, and readers do not see his beauty until the last four pages. The translation also includes elements not found in other books; for instance, a stork chattering in Egyptian and the duckling's wreaking havoc in a farmer's kitchen. The illustrations are done in misty watercolors--mostly in blue or green tones--and do not clarify the text. They are often viewed at various angles, at duck's-eye level or from a sky view, and although artistically interesting, children might find them confusing. One scene depicts a hunting dog in blood-colored water with a dead goose and two blood-spattered geese flying overhead against a red sky. Below, four hunters stare out of the marsh and trees, guns poised. This is not to say that it is a morbid version, only that hardship, pain, and suffering are brought to the forefront. The Ugly Duckling Knopf, 1986, illustrated by Robert Van Nutt, has clearer illustrations with more child appeal and a smoother writing style. --Regina Pauly, Burlington County Lib . , Mt. Holly, NJ

Hans Christian Andersen

An unusually beautiful version of an old favorite.
— Book

Kirkus Reviews

Outstanding illustrations and some new characters make Pinkney's retelling of a familiar tale memorable. This time around, there's an old woman who befriends the duck for its egg-laying potential, a hunting dog that happens upon the duck, a man who pulls the duck out of a frozen river and provides warmth and shelter, and children who comment on the once-ugly duckling's arrival at a pond, saying it is the finest of the flock. As in the original, suffering and loneliness are appeased, and the enduring lessons are reaffirmed: suffering may be necessary for growth and happiness, and loneliness may be overcome. A spirited, artistic adaptation, and a welcome addition to the shelves. (Picture book/folklore. 3-9) .