The Ugly Duckling

Title: The Ugly Duckling

Author/ Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney

Medium: Watercolors

Genre: Modern Fantasy (lighthearted, animal fantasy)

Theme: Growth, Survival, Strength/Courage, Good vs Evil (environment dangers).

Other Relevant Information: Chosen as a Caldecott Honor Book 1999

Summary: A childhood favorite for over one hundred years. Jerry Pinkney’s adaption captures the tale’s purpose of presenting a journey of a little bird that grows to become a beautiful swan regardless of all the obstacles.

Literary Elements:

The author manages to encourage the reader to think about life and how to overcome obstacles through his images and words especially since the animal characters act and talk like humans.

The reader is drawn into the world of a duck that takes a journey filled with obstacles. It all began with an odd looking egg different from the other eggs. As soon as the odd egg hatched, it was quite obvious that it was not your ordinary little duckling. Due to his different appearance, the odd duck was made fun of and made an outcast. The duckling couldn’t bear it any longer and runs away. He faces loneliness and cold during the winter until he noticed a beautiful group of swans. As he wished for their beauty, he dealt with the cold and hunger until he saw the same beautiful group of swans again and attempted to join them. Once he joined them, he then realized he grew into a beautiful swan.

The author provides the background of the story within the beautiful countryside visible through his paintings. The mood is evident through the colors of the photographs, once the duck became a swan, the colors became bright and natural.

The character of the duck showed fear and confusion about his identity but once he became a swan, he realized it would have never been understood unless he went through a hard journey. Because of his journey, he could now appreciate his happiness. “I never dreamed of such peace” said the duck. (Last line in the book)

Style:

“Now the autumn came. The leaves in the woods turned yellow and brown, and the wind took hold of them and they danced about. The clouds hung heavy with snow and hail.” With the painting that follows the author’s lines, it clearly resembles his description. The mellow and ultimately visible writing carries the reader from page to page with ease. This allows the reader to actually believe that an animal that talks is real and the character itself is multidimensional.

Evaluation:

Jerry Pinckney reintroduces a classic that wins him a Caldecott Honor Medal by providing the readers of a new adaptation of a timeless story.

The illustrations in the book capture the setting within the countryside with colorful watercolors. The paintings and words that captures each emotion portrayed allows the reader to fully remain engaged within the story. With the colorful paintings, it embraces the setting and how the duck realizes his true beauty at the end with bright colors to show the importance of his discovery of true happiness.