Book Review: The Ugly Duckling
Rate This Article
What Parents Should Know
Kids will be drawn into the detailed illustrations, and
empathize with the forlorn fowl.
Common Sense Media Review
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.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
