The Ugly Duckling

With large, clear, simple text, this series is perfect for building reading skills and confidence. Illustrated by Val Biro, each book includes helpful notes for parents. Age 4+ The story tells of a plain-looking little bird (the Ugly Duckling) born in a barnyard. His brothers and sisters as well as the other birds and animals on the farm tease him for being plain and ugly, so he runs off to live with a flock of wild ducks and geese until hunters shoot down the flock. Alone again, the Ugly Duckling finds a home with an old woman, but her cat and hen also tease him, so he doesn't stay there long. In his wanderings, the Ugly Duckling comes across a flock of migrating swans, and he wishes to join them but can't because he's too young and can't fly well enough. When winter sets in, a farmer rescues the Ugly Duckling, but the farmer's children and other animals frighten him with their noise and teasing, so again, he flees. He spends a cold and lonely winter hiding in a cave until springtime, when the flock of swans comes to the lake near his hiding place. When the Ugly Duckling approaches the swans, he's delighted to find that they accept him and treat him like one of them. When he looks at his reflection in the lake, he realizes, to his astonishment, that he's matured into a beautiful swan himself. When the swans fly off from the lake, he spreads his wings and joins them, finally having found a family who accepts him.