The Ugly Duckling

Written by Hans Christian Andersen and Jerry Pinkey

Narrated by Lynn Whitfield

This classic fairy tale is brought to life with sensitive music and stirring narration. Embarking on a journey of adventure and discovery, the poor little creature eventually makes a triumphant, heart-warming return to his home.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Weston Woods
• Release date: Jan 1, 2001
• ISBN: 9780545787499

Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was a Danish writer and author of many notable books including The Snow Queen. He specialized in writing fairytales that were inspired by tales he had heard as a child. As his writing evolved his fairytales became more bold and out of the box. Andersen's stories have been translated into more than 125 languages and have inspired many plays, films and ballets.

Reviews for The Ugly Duckling

[mikedraper · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the story that shows the transformation of a woman from an unattractive, submissive wife, into an assertive and lovely woman who knows what she wants and how to achieve it.Nell Calder wasn't born beautiful, a fact that her unfeeling mother had informed her about. How Nell was able to grow normally in a home with such an unfeeling mother was a tribute to an inner strength that Nell didn't know she had.Nell married well but at a party on an island in the Aegean Sea, her husband, Richard, a banker, and her precious four-year-old daughter, Jill, were murdered. Nell fell from a balcony during a struggle with a killer and was so badly injured that she needed plastic surgery.After her surgery, Nell's appearance changed to that of a beautiful woman, but inside, she was still a shell. When she learned that her family had been murdered, she went into a depressed state.Nicholas TAnek was at the party and felt somewhat responsible that he couldn't stop the murders. He tells Nell that the man responsible for the killings is Philippe Gardeaux and that the killings were carried out by Gardeaux's man, Paul Maritz. Nicholas informs Nell that Gardeaux is a criminal and is attempting to win favor and position with the Columbian drug lords. After learning of the man who ordered her family murdered, Nell has a new reason to live, revenge.The author does a nice job in describing Nell's progress into a woman possessed with the desire for revenge. We witness her vigorous physical training and learning how to use weapons to use against the killer.I enjoyed reading this fast moving novel and reading of the interesting characters.The novel was enjoyable.

[kysmom02 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This isn't a book that I was dying to read. It was one that I had kind of left behind because it didn't sound that great. However, I was pleasantly surprised to have really liked it! In fact, I liked it enough that I read it in 2 days.Tanek is the perfect savior for Nell. He's determined and driven, but soft and caring when he's needed to be. Nell is also driven and a little stubborn to boot. They work well together once they lay it all out there! There is one part of the story that Nell takes into her own hands, and I thought that it worked well for the story.Overall, I'm really glad that I went back to read this one.

[lisamaria_c · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Johansen, like Roberts and Coulter, is one of those that has made it onto the bestseller lists and can be found in other than the romance section--in this case, this novel was found in general fiction and works as a thriller and mystery, and it has a fairly clean style that can hold point of view. It fits in the standard revenge plot, as the titular heroine, Nell, works to avenge her family's death--plastic surgery upgrades her from ugly duckling to swan. Well-paced, often suspenseful, this story zipped along and I cared about the characters, including and especially Nell and her love Nicholas, who works with her against the villains of the story. Nice twist too at the end.

[bookslesstravelled · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A great children's story

[librisissimo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A well-written adaptation (don't know if it's an accurate translation or a retelling).Good pictures.

[elainaberger · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This story is a great for students who feel like they don't fit in with the group. It helps students know and understand that they are still special.

[heidi.donner · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is a traditional book that everyone knows growing up. It is about a duckling that is not like the others and is down because of that. In the end of the story the duckling is the most beautiful out of the group. This is a good book to teach students that it is not what is on the outside that counts, its whats in the inside.

[kelseyjenkens · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. The word choice and theme of this story really captured my interest. A group of ducklings hatched one day and they all looked the same, except for one. Everyone in the pond called him "The ugly duckling." He wondered why he was ugly all of his life until one day he swam upon beautiful swans. He then realized that he never was a duck after all. He was the most beautiful swan. The reason I love this theme is because it teaches young children the aspect of self appreciation and recognizing identity. Another reason I loved this book was because of the illustrations. They were very subtle and portrayed the mood on every page. They did not take away from the story itself and I thought that was a very good thing.

[dalial. · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Genre: fairytaleWhy it fits this genre:-The main character takes on an unusual form in that it talks.-It teachers a lesson-It has a happy endingI would use this book to:-to have students compare this version to the original version of the ugly duckling-to teach students plot and resolutionSummary: This story is about a duckling who is born in a barn and is considered ugly because he is big. After getting tire of being teased by all the other animals in the barn, the duckling leaves his home and spends a rough year in the real world. Once spring comes along, the ugly duckling becomes a beautiful swan.Media: watercolorCritique: "The Ugly Duckling" is a good example of fairytale because the characters in the book take on an unusual form, it teaches a lesson, and it has a happy ending. The characters in the story take on an unusual form in that they are talking animals. The story teaches the lesson that we should not let our appearance define us. Like fairytales, the story has a happy ending because it ends with the "ugly duckling" transforming into a beautiful swan.

[krw15 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a great classic story that teaches about self-esteem. Reading this story can open up lessons or discussions about bullying and being mean to classmates.

[herethere-3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The illustrations on this classic story are gorgeous, but it's still the same old story and it didn't pull me in too much. Not a bad book and I think kids would enjoy, but not the one for me.

[mickey3091 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Summary: This is the story of a swan born into a family of ducks, who is cast out of the pond because the other animals believe such an "ugly duckling" doesn't belong with them. Wherever he goes, the ugly duckling encounters animals that shun him due to his appearance. Upon encountering a group of elegant white birds, the ugly duckling aspires to one day be as beautiful as them. After a dreadfully cold and lonely winter, the ugly duckling sees his reflection in the water and realizes that he wasn't a duck after all, but rather that he had grown into the most elegant swan in the pond.Personal Reaction: Reading this book reminded me of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. The need to belong, children have a high need to feel wanted and sense of needing to belong. The ugly duckling was an outcast due to his appearance and was bullied and shunned away by society because of it, but showed that everybody is beautiful in their own way. Classroom Extension Ideas:1.) Coloring assignment for young students and showing a reflection of themselves as they color. 2.) Creating a journal of there everyday life and writing of their experiences to allow them greater appreciation of the present.

[camilleschmidt · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Summary:The Ugly Duckling is a story of a duckling born looking different than any other ducks. His differences caused the other ducks to tease him and hurt him. He spends his entire life thinking that different is ugly. Throughout the book he changes homes several times, never quite fitting in until he eventually discovers he's not a duckling at all. He is a beautiful swan. Personal Experience:As a child this book was one of my favorites. I could relate to the duckling's feeling like a misfit. I had glasses and braces. My father was in the military so we moved a lot, making me a constant 'new girl'. I was bad at sports and good at school. In some of the schools I went to, elementary schools, the teachers even treated me like I was different. I spent the majority of my free time reading. I used to read this book and hope that someday maybe I could look in the mirror and be a swan too. I think that is why this book is such a classic. It is a common and relatable topic told in a way that everyone can understand. Classroom Extension Ideas:1.) Bullying is a big deal in schools. My kids have anti-bully week and an anti-bully saying that they recite each morning. This book is the perfect lead into that topic. I could even share my own experience with bullying to explain to the children the impact it can have on someone. 2.) In the story, the Ugly Duckling is so shunned by his kind that he leaves home and doesn't fly south for the winter. Besides the obvious meaning of this book, and the go to use for it, we could read it and then discuss bird migration and why they fly south for winter.3.) At the end of "The Ugly Duckling", he says that his experiences as a duckling have led him to greater appreciate his new found beauty. For older kids, possibly something like a middle school journal, I would ask them to try and explain a hardship they experienced that allowed them to greater appreciate the present.

[simonealexis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This classic tale by Hans Christian Andersen is about a duck who is picked on by his brothers and sisters for being ugly. He suffers a lot of verbal and physical abuse from them because he does not look like the rest of them. He leaves the barnyard to live with other creatures, but disasters always strikes. After a long winter in solidarity, the ugly duckling decides he wants to be alone no more and finds a flock of swans. To his amazement, he has become a beautiful swan too. The book would be great for children 4-10 years old.

[ahanch1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I always love to reread books that my parents or teachers read to me when I was a child! Many young readers can relate to this book if they have ever been left out or felt bullied. Readers gain a better comprehension and enjoy reading more when they are able to make personal meanings to a text. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this traditional literature! The central message in this book is to accept people despite their differences.Summary: A duck laid 6 eggs. However, one egg was much different than the rest. The mother duckling did not worry, she made sure to keep the egg as warm as the rest. Five of the eggs hatched. Only the odd looking egg remained. When the last egg finally hatched, the young bird looked different than the rest. Immediately, other animals started talking about how ugly the young duck was. His mom loved all her young ducklings so she stood up for him! Things got worse for the young duck as time went on. He was constantly teased by others. The duck decided to go off on his own and hide away from everyone. He found this to be way harder than he originally anticipated. A cottage appeared on the ducks path and he decided to spend the night there. The old lady who lived at the cottage allowed the duck to stay there for three weeks. However, the duck missed swimming. Therefore, he ventured back out into the world so he could be in the air and swim again. As winter came, the water started to freeze. The duck became stuck in the ice one night as he was trying to swim. By good fortune, a man soon found the duck and freed him from the ice. The man took the duck home and warmed him up and fed him. However, the duck became scared and escaped the man's house. The rest of the winter was miserable for the duck. He couldn't find enough food. One day, he decided to follow beautiful white swans in the water in hopes of finding food. The swans felt sympathy towards the ugly duck. Therefore, they allowed the duck to stay with them. Finally, the ugly duckling was able to be happy.

[bfried10-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this story for many different reasons. The main idea of this book is that real beauty is on the inside. However, there is only one example of this in the story. From the beginning of the book, the ugly duckling is shunned and exiled from bird society. The duckling doesn’t get mad or angry at the other birds. Over the winter, the duckling’s inner beauty comes out, and he becomes a beautiful swan. This shows us that we are all beautiful on the inside. You just need to wait. The illustrations in this book are phenomenal every single page sets its own scene with bright descriptive colors.

[nfigue1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In The Ugly Duckling, by Jerry Pinkney, a baby swan is misplaced in a duck’s nest. His mother accepts his differences and loves him unconditionally; however, other animals bully him without any regard to the baby swan’s feelings. He later discovers a flock of stunning white swans and joins his own kind. The illustrations in this book are surreal, taking realistic pictures and giving them an altered appearance. The pictures seem to be completed with water color paint, using neutral colors to bring the text to life. This book is a great opportunity for children to relate to bullying experiences; hopefully giving them hope that one day they will find acceptance, just as the swan did. In today’s society, bullying has grown to be a large problem for children and young adults. At some point in any individual’s life, they will endure some sort of struggle; I believe this book does a significant job of expressing the importance of never giving up. In the end, the baby swan realizes that sometimes individuals must endure pain in order to find happiness; a reoccurring milestone in life

[cclark37 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

 Summary: "The Ugly Duckling" is the classic fairy tale about a little duckling who is teased by many, before growing into a beautiful swan. After hatching with five other eggs, the ugly duckling immediately appears out of place. He is tormented by his brothers and sisters before finally sneaking away in the middle of the night. As the seasons change, the ugly duckling finds himself alone on an icy lake before being rescued by a man. Thinking the man and his children are going to torture him, the ugly duckling ran away before running into many swans. It is then that the ugly duckling realizes he was always meant to grow into this beautiful creature.Review: This was a great read that brought me back to elementary school. I remember hearing the story of the ugly duckling and feeling sad because of how he was treated. What I really liked about this adaptation by Jerry Pinkey was the colorful and majestic illustrations. These illustrations portray the struggles of the ugly duckling in a great way. Children will always fall in love with this classic!

[david.endres · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In my opinion, I think “The Ugly Duckling” is a great book for children. Both the plot and the language used in the book make it what it is. For example, the author uses figurative language to express the imagery. The first two sentences in the book are “It was summer, and the pond was alive with music and color of life. Dragonflies danced to and fro, and frogs splashed in and out at the water’s edge.” Also the plot is carried out very well. Nothing is too long and drug out but it also doesn’t just skip straight to the point. Each little section of the story is well explained and developed. For example, when the mother duck lays her eggs, they don’t hatch right away. The author carries this part out to explain how the one egg is unusual. Eventually the eggs do hatch except the one unusual egg. I like how the author spent time with each part of the story because it actually created a good story where if each part were short and dull the story wouldn’t be as good. The main idea of this story is to never judge a book by its cover.

[epark6 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In my opinion this is a meaningful book. I believe that this is crucial for Elementary school students because it talks about the sensitive topic of bullying. Since, the ugly duckling was different, he was seen as ugly. In today's society many people can definitely relate to it.I liked this book because as stated earlier, it is a relatable topic, although it is personified by animals. The reader could feel and understand what the duckling was going through. At one point, the duckling even felt that he was too ugly to be eaten by the dog. Because this book is for the older Elementary school students, they can understand how serious bullying is and see from an outside perspective of what it feels like. In this book, However, they could feel encouraged and understand that the duckling still continued to find his place. I also liked the illustration. The pictures were not distracting while reading the text and it went well with the words that were on that page. The big idea of this story is to persevere and not give up. Throughout the story, the duckling is made fun of, but instead of giving up, the duck continues to find new places to live and strives to continue to do things through his love of swimming.

[catherinewillett · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

“The Ugly Duckling” was a beautifully designed book. The way the pages were set up to highlight the illustrations was my favorite part. The text always had an outline, around the boarder of either the page or the section of the page that contained text, using a color from the illustration. With the thin colored outline I never forgot to look at the illustration. Also, depending on how the picture was oriented the text was placed in different areas. If the illustration was vertical, it took up the page right next to the text that went with it. or directly below. But, if the illustration was horizontal, it took up two pages and the text was below. I always believed that moral of this story is be who you are and not be ashamed of it.

[kbesaw-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After being born "different" than his brother and sisters he feels ashamed and so one night when everyone is asleep he leaves his family. He goes through many challenges as he searches for a place where he can feel like he belongs. As time passes the ugly duckling turns into a beautiful swan and he finally feels like he fits in.

[riao-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this book and always have! It's a classic by Hans Anderson about being true to yourself and accepting yourself for who you are. The ugly duckling faces many challenges in acceptance and ultimately finds himself and becomes a beautiful swan.

[marissawilliams-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian AndersonSummary:The Ugly Duckling tells a story of young swan that was somehow hatched with a family of ducks. He was teased because he did not fit in. He was tall, awkward, and ugly. While still just a young swan, he ran away looking for a place to fit in. He traveled many places and overcame many obstacles when finally, when had grown into swan, he found a group of swan that excepted. He thought they were so beautiful. It wasn't until he swam with them and saw his own reflection that he too was a swan, and he was the most beautiful of them all.Personal Reaction:This book is great for young children that are learning to treat others kindly. It reveals how even the most beautiful being can be mistreated, and even though others may not fit in, one day you will find your place in the world.Classroom Extention Ideas:1. Have children tell a story of a time they didn't fit in.2. Have children reach out to one person that is being teased.

[kk903148 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Summary:The Ugly Duckling tells a story of a baby swan chick that was born into a duck's family. The swan chick did not know that he was a completely different type of bird then the ducklings. Therefore, he just thought that he was a ugly duckling and so did everyone else. After running away and almost not making it through the harsh winter, the swan chick saw a flock of beautiful birds flying back from migration. He then decided that he was going to follow these beautiful birds whether they made fun of him or not. However, when he got into the water and saw his own reflection, he realized that he was not an ugly duckling, but a beautiful swan. Personal Reaction:I think it is a wounderful story that teaches children that it is not very good to judge a book by its cover. I love the story and personaly. I would read this to a group of first graders.Extension Ideas:1. Do further research on where swans live and where they migrate to.2. Create a vocabulary list or spelling list from the words in the story.

[jaimie919 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A mother duck was so impatient waiting for her eggs to hatch. Finally after what seemed like forever they began to hatch. Mother duck noticed that the biggest eggs was the only one that did not hatch. An older duck who came to visit told her that that was a turkey egg and to just leave it. Mother duck did not want to so she sat on it for a little longer. At last it hatched and out came the duckling. This particular duckling was bigger than the rest and was ugly and gray. The mother can begin to think it may be a turkey. If it did not go in the water then for sure it was a turkey. The next day they went to the water and all the ducklings got into the water including the ugly gray one! They all swam to meet the others. As soon as the others saw the other duckling one duck flew to him and bit him. They said they did not want a big and ugly duck around. Soon all the animals who saw the ugly duckling made fun of him. Even his brothers and sisters were mean to him. The poor ugly duckling was so upset he ran away and kept telling himself "I'm so ugly". He then met others who did not care what he looked like. His journey was not over yet! Everywhere he went he got made fun until he reached some beautiful birds. He flew to them and to his surprise he saw his reflection in the water. He did not see an ugly duckling but he saw a creature that looked like the beautiful birds! The ugly duckling was not a duck but a swan! He was not just a swan he was the most beautiful swan! He was finally happy to have found a place he belongs! This is great to show in a classroom when teaching about bullying. It shows children that you should never tease a person because of how they look. It also shows the children who are being bullied that you should never care about what people say about you. One day you will become a beautiful swan!

[jverke_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Absoulute stunning version of Hans Christian Anderson's The Ugly Duckling.

[katemccormick2011 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The well-known story of The Ugly Duckling is told by Hans Christian Andersen. It's beautiful and detailed illustrations by Jerry Pinkney won this book a Caldecott Honor. The moral of this story is that even if you are different or unaccepted by your peers, you can still be successful. This lesson can be used in the classroom to teach students about both sides of bullying. I loved this book and the pictures and will definitely use it to teach my students and my own children what this book is all about.

[mburgess_58 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The ugly duckling was not accepted because it was different. All the other animals including its siblings made fun of him. When the duck developed all of its features, it was a beautiful swan. This book can teach children that just because people look different, everyone is beautiful.

[jessicafayed · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Summary:The story begins with 6 eggs with their mother. 5 of the eggs were small and normal, but the 6th one was huge and abnormal. All 5 of the normal eggs hatched and the 6th one took extra long. When the egg finally hatched the ugliest duckling came out of it. The ugly duckling was made fun of by everyone even his mother. So he ran away. At the end of the story he became to be the prettiest swan of all.Personal Reaction:As I read the book I felt so sad for the poor ugly duckling. The book taught me that real happiness comes from within. The prettiest people are the ones who are pretty inside, not just outside. This book is one of my favorites. Classroom Extension Ideas: