The Ugly Duckling: A Retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tale ANNOTATION
An ugly duckling spends an unhappy year excluded by the other animals before he grows into a beautiful swan.
FROM THE CRITICS
Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot
In this retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, a mother duck hatches four small eggs and a large one. The large egg produces a large creature that doesn't really look like a duck. He proves that he can swim and mama duck takes it all in stride. The rest of the flock and the big gray duckling's siblings don't have the same feeling about him. They make fun of him and make his life miserable. He left his family and headed out on his own. In the autumn, he spies a flock of swans and marvels at their beauty and grace. He manages to survive the winter and when spring comes, he joins a trio of those birds he so admired. Imagine his surprise when he learns that he was one of them. Now life was indeed happy for him. The retelling is designed for new readers who are reading independently. They may have heard the story before and will enjoy the challenge of reading this version on their own. The watercolor illustrations are faithful to the text and will give readers clues to help them get through the text. Part of the "Read-it! Readers" series which come in four color-coded levels. Green, which is the level for this one, is the most complex. There is an opening note to parents and caregivers that explains the series structure and some tips for using the book. 2004, Picture Window Books, Ages 5 to 7.
School Library Journal
Gr 1-2-Blackaby follows the plot of Andersen's original tale. The text is written in simple language while presenting some complex ideas and sophisticated sentence structures. Expressive watercolor cartoon characters are the highlight of each spread. In Ant, White retells Aesop's fable in equally simple language. The story can lead to classroom discussion about work and play. Muted cartoon pictures using lots of browns and greens illustrate the story. In Lion, the reteller closely follows the familiar fable about cooperation between the mighty lion and the tiny mouse. The story concludes with the mouse saying, "You didn't think I could help you- but an act of kindness is never wasted," which provides a good opener for further discussion. Clear illustrations in a cartoon style with soft golds, browns, and greens decorate every page. Good choices for children who want to read these familiar stories on their own.-Karen Land, Greenport Public School, NY Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
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