Ugly Duckling

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.