- Bibliography
Pinkey, Jerry. 1999. The Ugly Duckling. New York, NY: Morrow Junior Books. ISBN 9780688159337.
2. Plot Summary
A mother duck hatches 6 eggs near a beautiful pond near a farmhouse. The last duck to hatch is an awkward bird that does not physically look the same as the other ducklings. The oversized “ugly” duckling was born into a world of drama and frustration. He is bullied by other ducks -- even his siblings and kicked by the girl who feeds them. After he no longer feels at home on the farm, the ugly duckling flees. He encounters more drama as he runs from hunters and a hunting dog and becomes restless after living with a family that took him in. The duck must survive a harsh winter alone after longing to fly south with an elegant flock of swans. Finally, the duckling encounters the flock of swans again and when he joins them in the water he sees his reflection. He realizes that he IS a beautiful swan - in fact the book ends with children saying he is the best swan.
3. Critical Analysis
The Ugly Duckling is a beautiful story adapted by Pinkey from Hans Christian Andersen’s classic story about a lonesome and depressed animal who looses confidence and all allies in the world. Soon this creature transforms into a strong, confident, and beautiful creature.
The beautiful watercolor illustrations are realistic and detailed. The setting and scenes make one feel that you are truly in the wild experiencing the seasons with the ugly duckling. The reader can truly see the changes of the bird on each two-page spread because of the details in the artwork.
Although the story is a classic, the experiences of the character development for the ugly duckling are a bit disconcerting. Many scenes, such as the the hens and other ducks attacking the ugly duckling, the gun shooting at a flock of geese and the bird being frozen into a pond, are dramatic and could be a little scary for a child. It is understandable that Pinkey left these types of details in his story so that readers can truly see the stress that was put on The Ugly Duckling. His triumphs would not be nearly as emotional and influential without the troublesome details. That being said, I think it could be frightening for some children to read or hear such a story.
Overall, the story was adapted and illustrated beautifully to represent the classic story while creating a modern book.
4. Award & Review Excerpts
Nominated for Caldecott Medal
Nominated for Bluegrass Award
“The gorgeous double-page spreads combine realistic light-filled scenes of farmyard and pond life with a focus on one small bird who doesn't fit in, an awkward creature who appears to disrupt the natural harmony but is really part of the wonder of connection and renewal”. -- Booklist
“The appeal of this tale is as strong today as it was 150 years ago, and Pinkney has done an admirable job of repackaging it for a new generation”.
-- School Library Journal
5. Connections
- Invite students to create artwork of the beautiful swan to connect this to their own triumphs.
- Read this book in conjunction with other variants of the classic adapated by different people:
- Isadora, Rachel. The Ugly Duckling. 2009. G.P. Putnam’s Sons: Bergenfield, NJ.
- Mitchell, Stephen. The Ugly Duckling. 2007. Candlewick Press: Westminster, MD.
- Angeldorff, W. The Ugly Duckling. 2006. Purple Bear Books: Jackson, TN Create comparisons based on the differences in the variantations of these adaptations.
