The Ugly Duckling (Illustrated) [Kindle Edition]

Hans Christian Andersen (Author), Ripple Digital Publishing (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 18, 2011

A classic story by Hans Christian Andersen presented with modern illustrations. The story of how a little bird endures the abuses and miseries as he was growing up not realizing he would mature into a beautiful swan. It’s a great tale about personal transformation for the better.

"It is only with the heart that one can see clearly, for the most essential things are invisible to the eye."
– Antonie De Sainte Exupery

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-5–Bell's able and elegant translation of this classic tale omits nothing: the ugly duckling, rejected by his siblings and mother, runs away. He journeys to the marshes where he meets wild ducks and geese and watches as they are slaughtered by hunters, is told by a cat and hen that he does not possess the right talents, and is later rescued by a farmer from freezing fast in a pond. Eventually, he realizes his true identity and is happy with himself but modest because "a good heart never shows pride." Ingpen's bold impressionistic paintings fill the spreads and render the birds with pleasing angularity. However, the text often seems crowded on the page and is obscured in some instances by the dark, earth-toned palette. This edition suits libraries wishing to have the whole story, but young children will be more readily drawn into and less frightened by versions illustrated by Jerry Pinkney (HarperCollins, 1999) or Lorinda B. Cauley (Harcourt, 1979).–Susan Hepler, Burgundy Farm Country Day School, Alexandria, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 1-3. Trying to appeal to a preschool audience, most picture-book versions of "The Ugly Duckling" take out much of the misery and thus lessen the impact of the happy ending, when the "ugly duckling," rejected by the barnyard fowls, is accepted by his fellow swans. In this edition, Bell's graceful translation tells the whole story of the hero's misfortune, rejection, and misery, creating a feeling of darkness true to Andersen's text and making the ending more wonderful in comparison with the suffering that has gone before. Ingpen's beautifully composed paintings, which appear to incorporate elements of collage, are rather dark. Though the placement of text over patterned backgrounds may occasionally make reading hard for children, this is probably a book for adults to read aloud. A handsome edition that respects its source. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• File Size: 1005 KB
• Print Length: 32 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0698400100
• Publisher: Ripple Digital Publishing; 1 edition (March 18, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004SUP1XO
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #130 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)
  • #1 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Children's eBooks > Animals > Ducks & Other Waterfowl
  • #2 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Children's Fiction > Animals

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