Common Sense Note
Kids will be drawn into the detailed illustrations, and empathize with the forlorn fowl.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Ann Marie Sammataro
The author pays homage to Hans Christian Andersen's compassionate tale with this faithful adaptation. Kids can relate to the duckling's dilemma; part of the growing-up process is pulling away from those around you and developing a strong sense of self. Children have also witnessed or experienced the teasing that is part and parcel of childhood.
This ageless story speaks across generations with its reaffirming message. In this age of instant gratification, Andersen's tale reminds readers that some things are worth waiting for and that a pleasure deferred (whether by choice or necessity) is often the sweetest one of all.
Pinkney's descriptive passages resonate with the splendor of nature's beauty. The glowing watercolors, filled with intricate details, make each blade of grass visible, and the delicately drawn, nearly transparent mosquitoes are as ethereal as they are in life. The subtle details incorporated into the scenes--a frog catching a passing fly at the pond and a tiny mouse perched by a crate in the old woman's cottage--make children take another look.
From The Book
One day he heard a sound of whirring wings, and up in the air he saw a flock of birds flying high. They were as bright as the snow that had fallen during the night, and their long necks were stretched southward. Oh, if only he could go with them! But what sort of companion could he be to those beautiful beings?
Plot Summary:
'I am too ugly even for a dog to eat,' the duckling thought. Jerry Pinkney's poignant text and rich artwork convey the timeless appeal of this tale of hardship and redemption. Anyone who has suffered the sting of ostracism can sympathize with the ugly duckling's plight and will relish the uplifting conclusion.
Related Books:
Pinkney also illustrated Andersen's The Little Match Girl. On a lighter note, Diane Goode's The Dinosaur's New Clothes: A Retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen Tale is a wildly funny take on a familiar story.
Rate It!
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ViolenceHunters shoot at a flock of geese, and a hunting dog confronts the duckling. The duckling vows that he would rather be killed by the swans than suffer any more cruelty. |
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Social BehaviorOther farmyard creatures (and the humans) are cruel to the duckling. |
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