Wednesday, July 30, 2008

The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen, retold by Stephen Mitchell, Illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher


This is a lovely book.

Mitchell's retelling retains Andersen's style and flavor while making the tale accessible to modern readers. And the illustrations, oh the illustrations! They're not only gorgeous paintings, with lush colors and exquisite detail, but there are fascinating patterns in all the surfaces, most strongly shown in the lace-like patterns of the ugly duckling, which gradually change into the elegant loops and swirls of a swan. I'm going to sit down and read it again right now.

Verdict: You've probably got several editions and versions of The Ugly Duckling, but this one is so lovely, it's worth adding no matter how many you already have!

ISBN: 978-0763621599; Published December 2007 by Candlewick; Borrowed from the library; Added to my personal wishlist

No comments: