The UGLY DUCKLING

Rating:
Summary: Uplifting and beautifully illustrated
Review: I felt compelled to write a review after reading the disappointing review above from Publisher's Weekly, which refers to this story as a "long winded road to a familiar conclusion" and "ponderous." This is a classic, heart-wrenching and ultimately joyous fairy tale that never seems to get old, whether it be long or short (and this one happens to be shorter than some that I've read!).

Mayer's version is compelling and her language is rich. (I love to read books to my children that haven't been dumbed down to elementary prose - they don't even realize how painlessly they are growing their vocabulary!). What I love most though is Thomas Locker's warm, lush illustrations. His style is reminiscent of the old dutch masters.

Our family does prefer Jerry Pinkney's Ugly Duckling picture book but not by much. It's interesting to see how different authors & illustrators handle the same subject matter. Both are picture books to read, reread and savor over the years.