The Ugly Duckling

Mother duck has six eggs. Round yellow ducklings hatch from five, but from the final one emerges something dark, big and awkward. Shunned by the ducklings, this lonely oddity sets off to find the place he belongs – but in vain. Seeing a string of beautiful white high-flying birds, he sighs 'if only they were my family'. It's only when they swoop in, asking where he's been hiding all winter, that he realises he's an ugly duckling no more.

This retelling has the added novelty of flaps to lift on each spread which carry the story along. The softly-toned illustrations portray a recognisable natural world, combining quirky details and easily identifiable characters to create a homely feel to this familiar tale.