The Ugly Duckling illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, with Hans Christian Andersen’s text adapted by Jerry Pinkney (Caldecott Honor 2000), is a picture book with sprawling, all-encompassing detailed watercolors. The illustrations do the traditional, familiar story justice. Pinkney does an incredible job of getting in to detailed “close-ups” of the scenes.
From the birth of the ducklings (focusing on their eyes and feathers) to the dog panting beside the lonely duckling and the swan showing off at the end, Pinkney captures emotion in the animals. The dim colors and textured illustrations make the snowy, cold winter seem real. My only worry is that with so much texture and detail, it may be difficult for a young child sitting on my lap to focus on any part of the large picture. Overall, it is beautiful; I think I appreciate it more than a child would.
