The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen and adapted by Jerry Pinkey

Summary
The timeless tale of the ugly duckling comes alive in this beautifully illustrated adaptation by Jerry Pinkey. This story serves as a reminder that beauty is more than skin deep, and patience can bring acceptance and beauty when one least expects it.

Analysis
Jerry Pinkey's illustrations perfectly parallel the story that he tells. The language in this fable is rich and expressive, just as his watercolor illustrations are. When he writes about the dog's great "chasm" of a mouth about to close on the duckling, the accompanying watercolored illustration of the dog matches the tone exactly. Each two page spread in this book consists of a full page illustration and a page with text. Don't miss the end papers of the book, as they show the Ugly Ducking as just that, and the last end paper shows the duckling as a beautiful swan.

Pinkey's message clearly implies that we are not to judge a book by it's cover, and simultaneously manages to encourage us to be patient with any physical flaws or inadequacies that we feel we might have. The plot is brief, as the entire first year of a duckling's life is told in under thirty pages. Pinkey does an excellent job of personifying the ugly duckling, especially when the ducking is alone and freezing, and realizes he would rather be killed by the beautiful swans than die alone and freezing. His descriptive text takes the reader inside the heart of this lonely and unloved creature, and all readers no matter what their age can identify with the Ugly Ducking's strife.

Among Jerry Pinkey's accomplishments are three Caldecott Honor Medals, four Corette Scott King Awards, and he was also nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award.

This book is appropriate for grades 3 and up.

I haven't read this story in so very long, and this version was a refreshing re-introduction to this timeless classic. My wish is for all students going through puberty to pick this book up and read it. I love how the ugly duckling is greeted by children on the last page of the book who say, "The new one is the best." After the kids say this, the Ugly Ducking realizes that all that he went through was worth it, because now he knew how it felt to be happy. I truly believe that it takes suffering to appreciate true happiness.

Key Words
secluded, steadily, monstrous, moor, chasm, looming, bewilderment