Hans Christian Andersen
The Ugly Duckling
Adapted and Retold by : Jerry
Pinkney
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Pinkney, Jerry. 1999. HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN:
THE UGLY DUCKLING. Ill. Jerry Pinkney. New York: Morrow Junior Books a division
of William Morrow & Company, Inc..
ISBN 978-0-688-15932-0.
PLOT SUMMARY:
This is story about feeling no awkward and
inadequate in the world, as the ugly duckling as told he was ugly from birth by
his own brothers and sisters. He was loved by his mother even though she didn’t
know what to make of him. Through the seasons he suffered many trials and found
no place, until the Spring came and an amazing change.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
Jerry Pinkney has given readers not only a
beautifully illustrated book, he has retold this sensitive story with
compassion and beauty. How can one’s heart not thug when reading about the poor
little “ugly duckling” being called ugly. The important outcome of this story
for readers young and old alike is the fact that although he was not like
everyone else, and didn’t fit in can be coupled with the idea that you don’t
know what will happen in the future.
REVIEW EXCERPTS:
From Publishers Weekly
Pinkney's (Rikki-Tikki-Tavi) supple,
exquisitely detailed watercolors provide a handsome foil to his graceful
adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen classic. This "duckling" is
teased unmercifully by his apparent siblings but loved by the mother duck:
"He may not be quite as handsome as the others," she says,
"but... I am sure he will make his way in the world as well as
anybody." Eventually he runs away, and as the seasons turn, the fledgling
has a series of adventures, from a close encounter with a hunting dog to
getting trapped in ice. All the while he is growing, transforming, and in the
triumphant ending, he finds peace and happiness when his real identity is
revealed to himself and to readers. Pinkney's artwork is a swan song to the
beauty of the pastoral, and his lush images flow across the pages in sweeping
vistas and meticulous close-ups. Whether depicting the subtle patterns and
colors of a duck's feathers, the murky twilight of a freshwater pond or the
contrast of red berries against dried grasses etched with snow, Pinkney's
keenly observed watercolors honor nature in all its splendor. A flawlessly
nuanced performance by a consummate craftsman. Ages 3-up.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 4-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. His adaptation of the text succeeds in
capturing the gentleness and melancholy of Andersen, although a bit of the
social commentary has gone by the wayside. Pinkney does not shy away from
including the more disturbing elements, such as the shooting of the geese,
recognizing this episode's importance to the fabric of the story. The first
glimpse he gives readers of the duckling, having at long last emerged from his
shell, exhausted and vulnerable despite his size, foreshadows the events to
come and immediately engages children's sympathy. Naturalists will quibble over
the artist's choice of birds. This duckling is born into a mallard family,
wild, not domestic, and the geese are Canadas, whose range is generally North
America. However, these details do not in any way detract from the feast to the
eye that these illustrations are, carefully composed and rich in detail. Even
those owning The Ugly Duckling as told by Marianna Mayer, illustrated by Thomas
Locker (Macmillan, 1987; o.p.)-the most recent "Duckling" of
note-will welcome this fresh new version. An artistic tour de force that is
worthy of its graceful fine-feathered subject.
Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews
PLB 0-688-15933-8 Outstanding illustrations and
some new characters make Pinkney's retelling of a familiar tale memorable. This
time around, there's an old woman who befriends the duck for its egg-laying
potential, a hunting dog that happens upon the duck, a man who pulls the duck
out of a frozen river and provides warmth and shelter, and children who comment
on the once-ugly duckling's arrival at a pond, saying it is the finest of the
flock. As in the original, suffering and loneliness are appeased, and the
enduring lessons are reaffirmed: suffering may be necessary for growth and
happiness, and loneliness may be overcome. A spirited, artistic adaptation, and
a welcome addition to the shelves. (Picture book/folklore. 3-9) -- Copyright
©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
AWARDS:
·
Caldecott Honor Book
·
ALA Notable Children’s Book
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