About this title: Nell Calder's life is shattered by an assassin's bullet which kills her husband and child, and leaves her fighting for her life. She recovers from her injuries transformed into a beautiful woman bent on revenge. With the help of a handsome stranger, Nell proceeds full speed ahead with her quest for vengeance.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Description: Lundgren, Sue. Good. 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" tall. Pages tanning and edgewear to cover. A few small tears at bottom edge of cover. Several soil spots on corner of cover. Name written on first inside page. read more
Description: Cauley, Lorinda Bryan, and Canley, Lorinda B. Very Good. Text in Danish, English. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 48 p. Contains: Illustrations. Intended for a juvenile audience. read more
Description: Cauley, Lorinda Bryan, and Canley, Lorinda B. Very Good. Text in Danish, English. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 48 p. Contains: Illustrations. Intended for a juvenile audience. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Troll Associates, New York
Description: Williams, Jennie. Fine. No Jacket. Folio-over 12"-15" tall. Unpaginated/ Laminated, illustrated boards and text are clean, tight and fine with no marks. read more
"The Ugly Duckling, illustrated by Jonathan Heale.
Hans Christian Andersen's original fairy-tale about a cygnet mistakenly hatched by a duck, who is convinced by the cruelty of his peers that he is ugly and abnormal, is retold here in free verse by Adrian Mitchell, and accompanied by gorgeous woodcut illustrations by Jonathan Heale. The effect is quite pleasing, with a narrative that reads well, and artwork that offers an immensely satisfying visual feast, sure to please woodcut lovers in particular.
This may, in fact, by my favorite edition of The Ugly Duckling, which is, admittedly, not saying much, as it has never ranked amongst my favorite fairy-tales. Still, Heale's illustrations are a real pleasure to behold, with their bold black outlines and lovely watercolor embellishments. I think I may look for more of his work!"
Once described by Hans Christian Andersen as a work of "autobiography," The Ugly Duckling is one of those literary fairy-tales that has so thoroughly entered the folk idiom that it feels like the genuine article. The phrase "ugly duckling" itself - like that of "sour grapes," from Aesop's The Fox and the Grapes - has entered colloquial speech, often used as short-hand for the idea of the late bloomer: a testament to the tale's influence on its many readers.
This edition features a full translation by Anthea Bell, who has worked on so many other Andersen tales, and the beautiful illustrations of Australian artist, Robert Ingpen. All the ugliness of the original story is here: the duckling's rejection by his fellows (as well as his own mother), his short-lived friendship with two wild ganders, who are shot down before his eyes, his days of cold and hunger during the long winter. This suffering, so often softened in other retellings, gives the eventual happy ending here added power. Ingpen's art has a lovely impressionistic feeling, with a somewhat somber palette that matches the text. All in all, a very pleasing edition of this popular tale!"
"Pinkney's rich watercolors blend seamlessly with the timeless story by Hans Christian Anderson. It is almost possible to feel the emotions of the ugly duckling as he learns to accept that he is "ugly" and then the sudden joy when he realizes that he is in fact a beautiful swan. The busy scenes of every season take time to decipher, but both young and old readers will enjoy spending time with this book."
"This is the classic Hans Christian Andersen story told to a beautiful, fairy-tale like setting illustrations. Would be an excellent edition to read to small children."
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