Ugly Duckling
Ratings25
Average rating3.6
What I love about this book - and I've loved it since I was a little kid - is the just GLORIOUS SELF-PITY OF THE DUCKLING. He really draaaags himself through the mud: OH WOOOOE IS MEEEEE. He's ugly. UGGGLYYYYYY. Everyone is CRUUUUEEELLL to him.
If you have, deep in your heart, a self-pitying, grandiosely dramatic theater kid - as I do - then this is catnip. And here, the catnip is gorgeously illustrated and we really luxuriate in the self-pity wallowing, while also getting that satisfying “guess what u r a swan and everyone else is a common-ass duck, HA HA”. Chef's kiss. Probably bad values, but who cares, it's great.
This book was really sad and it was my first time reading it. I have heard of The Ugly Duckling before, but never read the original version by Hans Christian Andersen. The most heartbreaking thing about this book was that the duck was treated, so poorly because he looking different. In today's society sometimes we are told that we must all look the same and those who are different than the crowd are seen as outcasts.
This book reflects on how in society people are different don't have as many opportunities and can be more saddened and depressed. This version of The Ugly Duckling has very pretty illustrations. This illustrations though do not really convey the true sadness that this book is. When reading this book I already knew the main plot of the story, so I knew what was going to happen at the end. What I did not expect what that 80% or more of this story was sad.
I have heard that stories by Hans Christian Anderson, The Grimm Brothers, etc... we written to teach lessons to children. Unlike the stories in our 21st century where some stories are to entertain us, some are written to teach lessons, and others are a mixer of both.
l would say the lesson of this story is to not be mean to those who are different than you. We are all different and God created us that way. Each one of us has different strengths, weaknesses, good habits and bad habits. Through all of these differences and many more we should try and get along by seeing our similarities, but still understand and embrace our differences.
Overall I would recommend this book because even though it sad the book still gives a great moral lesson.