Review of "The Ugly Duckling"

Bibliography: Pinkney, Jerry. 1999. The Ugly Duckling. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc. ISBN: 0-688-15932-X

Critical Analysis:

Jerry Pinkney's version of The Ugly Duckling was adapted from The Yellow Fairy Book, and leaves out many parts of the original by Hans Christian Andersen. The duckling's "mother" does not have a nosy neighbor that advises that the egg be abandoned, the duckling's "mother" does not tell him she wishes he would go away, and the duckling does not watch as two new friends - ganders - are shot down before his eyes. This retelling is gentler, and was perhaps written with young children in mind. What this version does offer is a duckling that is decides on his own he will not fit in with the duck family he is born into. He then spends a long, cold winter alone, and comes very near death. As the spring returns the ugly duckling in this version, as in the original, finds his flock of swans, and wonder upon wonders, discovers that he, too, is a beautiful swan.

Pinkney's soft-colored watercolors sweep the entire pages with motion. It has always been amazing to me how Pinkney can display such clear emotion on animals faces. In his recent Caldecott acceptance speech he admitted to spending hours alternately looking at pictures of the animals he was drawing, and making expressions in the mirror. The Ugly Duckling shows this work - from the mother ducks surprise and shock that the ugly duckling looks so different, to the ugly ducklings dejection and despair, and ultimately to his delight, the pictures can evoke strong emotion from the reader.

This popular tale helps children deal with bullying and being an outsider, but it also serves as a warning and a method of teaching compassion. Pinkney's version is all the more powerful due to his advanced artistic skill.

Awards:

* Caldecott Honor Book
* 2000 Notable Children's Books (ALA)
* 2X2 Reading List (TLA)

Review Excerpts:

Kirkus: "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."
School Library Journal: "An artistic tour de force that is worthy of its graceful fine-feathered subject."
Publishers Weekly: "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."

Connections:

The Ugly Duckling provides a perfect opportunity for teaching synonyms and antonyms to elementary students. As a group you can come up with synonyms and antonyms for the word "ugly."

Other fairytales written by Hans Christian Andersen include The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina, and The Little Match Girl.

The importance of a discussion: No reading of The Ugly Duckling would be complete without a discussion about the effects of bullying.

Review of "The Three Little Pigs"

Bibliography: Kellogg, Steven. 1997. The Three Little Pigs. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc. ISBN: 0-688-08731-0

Critical Analyses: Kellogg’s version of the three little pigs features a single pig mother, named “Serafina Sow” who successfully runs a waffle-making business. After putting her three pigs, Percy, Pete, and Prudence through private school at “Hog Hollow Academy,” she decides to retire to the “Gulf of Pasta,” and leave her three pigs to run the family waffle business. The pigs set to work and build their houses – one of straw, one of logs, and one of bricks (guess which pig built the brick house – yes, it was Prudence). Everything goes well until one day the Big Bad Wolf decides he wants bacon, not waffles for breakfast. In the end they are saved by their mother, who makes the wolf into a “wolffle,” and sends him to retire at the Gulf of Pasta once he has surrendered.

Steven Kellogg’s colored ink, watercolor, and acrylic pictures are colorful and soft with thin, relaxed, black outlines. He humorously adds details to each picture that the careful observer will find. For instance, the wolf wears a shirt that says, “Say Yes to Thugs,” and outside the local jail there are “Wanted” posters for “Foxy-Loxy” and “Tempesto.” Children that are familiar with the more common version of “The Three Little Pigs” will find humor in this parody of the well-known tale.

Awards:

I could find no awards listed for this book.

Review Excerpts:

School Library Journal: “A tempting choice to pair with Jon Scieszka's The True Story of the Three Little Pigs (Viking, 1989) and your favorite traditional version for porcine storytime fun.”

Booklist: “Just as Serafina's customers flock to The Wheeled Wafflery, so children will greet Kellogg's latest picture book with eagerness based on memories of his many satisfying books.”

Connections:

Children may find the following "twisted" versions of this tale entertaining: The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka. An age appropriate discussion about protagonist and point of view is perfect when sharing a twisted version of a tale with the well-known variant.

Review of "Turtles Race with Beaver"

Bibliography: Bruchac, Joseph and Bruchac, James. 2003. Turtles Race with Beaver. Ill. Areugo, Jose and Dewey, Ariane. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 0142404667.

Critical Analyses:
The story of Turtle and Beaver’s race begins with a happy turtle, loving his life, sunning himself on one of the many rocks in his pond. After Turtle awakes from hibernation, he finds Beaver has built a damn and his rocks have disappeared. When Beaver then challenges Turtle to a swimming race, he is outsmarted by the clever Turtle, who ends up winning the race. Although the kind Turtle offers to share his pond with Beaver, Beaver is embarrassed and leaves. The story ends with Turtle sunning himself on one of his favorite rocks, and Beaver politely asking a Turtle in a neighboring pond if he could share his pond with him.

The theme of a slower, smaller animal outsmarting a larger, faster animal is a staple in the folklore of various cultures. Joseph and James Bruchac include a page long introduction to the tale, and it is clear that they wished to honor the cultural roots of the story. In the introduction Joseph Bruchac notes, “I’ve been learning from the oral traditions of our Northeastern Woodlands peoples, especially the Iroquois and Abenakis. I’ve heard many stories from more than one source, and this tale is no exception” (Bruchac 1). It may have been more reassuring had Joseph Bruchac noted which tribe from the Iroquois nation he “heard” the story from, and additionally, the name of the particular person he attributed this version to. Many stories attributed to indigenous people have been altered, and many of the “fables” that are altered are considered sacred stories by the people that tell them. The practice of naming the person that gifted the story to you when you perform a retelling is common in Native American culture. The fact that he did not clearly define the source of this version of the story concerns me.

The pen-and-ink, gouache, and pastel illustrations are vibrant and happy. They clearly depict a pond in the northeast, but beyond that, there is nothing that ties the illustrations to the native tribes Bruchac and Bruchac claim this story originates from. However, the illustrations provide such an upbeat, engaging style, they are sure to captivate many children. Children will love the expressions found on the many animals faces that grace this ultimately charming children’s book.

Reviews:

School Library Journal:

"This appealing variant of the time-honored, cross-cultural tale conveys the need for cooperation, perseverance, and humility within group settings. Children will be so involved in the storytelling that they'll absorb these lessons effortlessly. Done in pen and ink, gouache, and pastel, the cheerful artwork is a wonderful match for this well-told tale."

Booklist:

"A chorus of cheering animal spectators invites audience participation, and there are plenty of visual cues to the contestants' emotional states in the illustrators' bright, flowing scenes. A natural candidate for reading aloud, and for follow-up discussions, too."

Awards: I could find no mention of awards for this book.

Connections:

If you are doing a folktale unit, and like the work of Joseph Bruchac then two other folktales retold by Joseph Bruchac are: How Chipmunk Got His Stripes and Raccoon's Last Race.

It is important that children do not view Native Americans as people that told these stories in a distant past and lived "a long time ago." If there is a reservation nearby, or a Native American organization then it would be appropriate to ask a leader of the Native community to come and tell stories or at least talk about their contemporary tribe.

"Kitten's First Full Moon" Review

Bibliographic Information:
Henkes, Kevin. 2004. Kitten’s First Full Moon. New York: HarperCollins Children’s Books. ISBN: 978-0-06-058828-1

Critical Analysis:
Eager and curious, Kitten is no match for the deceptive powers of the moon in this gentle picture book. On the night that Kitten sees her first full moon, she mistakes it for a bowl of milk. The book compassionately follows her adventure as she gets a bug on her tongue, falls down the steps, climbs a tree, and jumps into a pond – all in search of that illusive bowl of milk. Henkes sympathy is clear throughout, and when Kitten finally jumps into the pond the text reads, “Poor Kitten! She was wet and sad and tired and hungry,” with a picture of a wide-eyed, soaked Kitten that takes up the entire page. Children will relate to her misery (whom among us has not been miserable?) and will be happy at the end, when Kitten finds a bowl of milk waiting for her. The final page finds Kitten curled up, the moon above her, her empty bowl of milk below.

Henkes used gouache and colored pencil for this book, but at first glance I thought it was charcoal that was used for the simple, grey toned pictures. The pictures alternate between drawings framed with thick, black lines and unframed pictures with lots of white space. The feel of the entire book is soft, playful, and sleepy. A perfect, compassionate book for bedtime, I imagine that children will feel validated and comforted by Kitten’s misadventures.

Review Excerpts:

Booklist Review: “Working in bold black lines and the silvery palette of moonlight, he creates a lovable, expressive character in the determined kitten, and his dramatic contrasts of light and dark capture the excitement of a nighttime adventure.”

CCBC Review: “This gentle picture book feels transported from an earlier era. Reminiscent of the writing of Margaret Wise Brown, its deceptively simple language and masterful pacing transcend time.”

Awards:

* Caldecott Medal
* Bulletin Blue Ribbon (The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books)
* Charlotte Zolotow Award
* ALA Notable Children’s Book
* Texas 2X2 Reading List
* Book Sense Pick


Connections:
Two texts that examine childhood stressors and bedtime comforts are: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber.

"The Tale of Peter Rabbit" Review

Bibliographic Information: Potter, Beatrix. 2002. The Tale of Peter Rabbit. New York: The Penguin Group. ISBN: 978-0-7232-4770-8

Critical Analysis:
After being warned by his mother to stay out of Mr. McGregor’s garden to avoid being made into rabbit soup as his father was, the naughty Peter Rabbit sneaks into the garden. There, after stuffing himself with lettuce, beans and radish, he is caught by Mr. McGregor, who hollers, “Stop thief!” and chases after Peter. Peter loses both of his shoes, his jacket, jumps in a full can of water, gets lost, and ends up crying in despair before finding the gate, which is just beyond Mr. McGregor. Peter, past caring, makes a dash for it, and barely makes it out of the garden. When Peter arrives home he feels unwell and spends the evening in bed with chamomile tea, while his siblings, Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail “had bread and milk and berries for supper.”

The soft, elegant lines of Beatrix Potter’s, The Tale of Peter Rabbit are evocative of a protective, nurturing stance toward childhood, yet this classic deals with some difficult subject matter. Not only has Peter’s father been killed and eaten, but Potter forces us to examine our relationship with the very childhood character that is anthropomorphized in this tale. She points out that while we sympathize with Peter as the protagonist, it is humans that are his family’s predators. The story is also an emotional journey. Peter finds himself naked, wet, alone, and scared, and just when he gives into misery he sees the way home. Such a story is relatable in some form to us all. Potter’s use of white space, softened edges, and pastel colors all lend a gentle hand to this harrowing adventure full of difficult truths.

Review Excerpts:
The Hornbook Review: "The classic story of the adventurous rabbit who ignored his mother’s warnings to avoid Mr. MacGregor’s garden is a unique blend of perfectly scaled watercolors with a precise text never equaled by its many imitators. Other titles by this author in the same understated small format are also recommended."

Connections:
There is a wonderful interactive website for children and adults that features games, news, articles, history, and lesson plans. Click here to be linked to the site.
Children may enjoy Potter's other books, including, The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse.

Review of "Giggle, Giggle, Quack"

Bibliography:
Cronin, Doreen. 2002. Giggle, Giggle, Quack. Ill. By Betsy Lewin. New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 978-0-689-84506-2

Critical Analysis:
Shades of Alvin and the Chipmunks are apparent in this tale of a mischievous duck and his barnyard followers. When the farm’s owner, Farmer Brown goes on vacation, leaving his brother, Bob in charge with the directive to follow the instructions he’s written down, mayhem ensues. As Farmer Brown drives away, duck is seen eying a pencil lying in the road. The following pages show a gullible Bob feeding the animals pizza, washing the pigs in a bubble bath, and showing the animals the movie “The Sound of Moosic” in the living room. All instructions have of course been written by the playful duck, who’s last note reads, “It’s for you, Bob,” in response to an angry phone call from Farmer Brown. The book ends with a picture of an angry Farmer Brown stomping back down the dirt road, made all the more silly by his full tropical vacation attire.

Lewin’s colors are at medium saturation, lending a laid-back feel to layered pictures that may be overwhelming at a deeper saturation. The buoyant watercolors are outlined with thick, wavy, black lines and add a sense of playful breeziness to the text. The relaxed, cartoon-like pictures cover the pages entirely, giving the reader a close-up, comical view of the situation on the farm. Humorous animals respond to Bob’s actions with a “giggle giggle quack” or “giggle giggle moo,” etc. The predictable nature of the repetitive responses invites participation.

Booklist Review: “As in Stephen Gammell's Once Upon MacDonald's Farm (2000), the mischief and the mayhem will appeal to little ones who chafe at being domesticated.”

Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices Review: “The expressions on the animals' faces as Duck successfully pulls the wool over Bob's eyes - a hen smothers a giggle beneath her wing, while two cows share a smirk of delight -- invite children to share the joke in this amusing tale of good-natured trickery.”


Kirkus Review: “The many fans of Click, Clack, Moo (both adults and children) will want to read about the cows and their duck friend to see what happens next, but like most sequels, the second story stands not on top, but in the shadow of the innovative original.”

Connections:
A wonderful activity that focuses on teaching the vocabulary words: prefer, influence, snicker, and sensitive can be found on the freereading.net site.
And another book that contains feisty, naughty protagonists and is written by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Betsy Lewin is Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type.