Andersen‘s the ugly duckling tells us a melancholy but beautiful story, which says that a little duck found himself very ugly and was so depressed, but when he grow up, he turned into a beautiful swan.

This ageless story speaks across generations with its reaffirming message. In this age of instant gratification, Andersen‘s tale reminds readers that some things are worth waiting for and that a pleasure deferred (whether by choice or necessity) is often the sweetest one of all.

Pinkney‘s descriptive passages resonate with the splendor of nature‘s beauty. The glowing watercolors, filled with intricate details, make each blade of grass visible, and the delicately drawn, nearly transparent mosquitoes are as ethereal as they are in life. The subtle details incorporated into the scenes--a frog catching a passing fly at the pond and a tiny mouse perched by a crate in the old woman‘s cottage--make children take another look.

One day he heard a sound of whirring wings, and up in the air he saw a flock of birds flying high. They were as bright as the snow that had fallen during the night, and their long necks were stretched southward. Oh, if only he could go with them! But what sort of companion could he be to those beautiful beings?

‘I am too ugly even for a dog to eat,‘ the duckling thought. Jerry Pinkney‘s poignant text and rich artwork convey the timeless appeal of this tale of hardship and redemption. Anyone who has suffered the sting of ostracism can sympathize with the ugly duckling‘s plight and will relish the uplifting conclusion.

Well, when he found he had become a beautiful swan, the coming flowers and praise didn’t make him proud, just because so much sorrow and pain taught him to cherish and satisfy.

 

第二篇：The ugly duckling