The Ugly Duckling

The Ugly Duckling [with CD] by Frank Loesser, illustrated by Nathaniel Eckstrom (Scholastic Australia)

HB RRP $24.99
ISBN 978-1-74283-644-7
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

The ‘song’ version of the Ugly Duckling, written by Frank Loesser, has always been my favourite interpretation of this classic Hans Christian Anderson fairytale. An ugly duckling is thrown out of the nest by the other ducklings, because he is different, then has to search for somewhere he’ll fit in and be accepted.

Justine Clarke, children’s entertainer and playschool presenter, brings fresh life to this story on the CD recording which accompanies this picture book.
There once was an ugly duckling,
With feathers all stubby and brown,
And the other birds
In so many words, said,
‘Get out of town!’
‘Get out!’
‘Get out!’
‘Get out of town!’
And he went with a quack and a waddle and a quack,
In a flurry of eiderdown.

Beautifully illustrated, Eckstom’s soft colours and expressive faces bring out the emotions of the story and gently articulate the themes of loneliness, isolation and belonging.

This is a gorgeous book. Young children will fall in love with this ugly little duckling – from his beginning conversation with a goldfish, to the cheeky wink at the end –eagerly following his journey again and again. They will also love the CD, singing along with Justine until they know it by heart.

The Ugly Duckling would make a lovely gift for any baby, toddler or preschool aged child.

EJ Spy School - Puppy Alert

EJ Spy School - Puppy Alert by Susannah McFarlane, illustrated by Dyani Stagg (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $7.99
ISBN 978-1-92193-163-5
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

 Emma Jacks, a ten year old schoolgirl has an exciting secret. She has a secret identity, EJ10, and is a spy in training with the Shine Agency.  At spy school she learns about breaking codes, following clues and other skills a good spy needs. In Puppy Alert her training is especially fun. EJ10 is learning about animal rescue. And it is a thrilling lesson, following clues around the giant indoor training centre at Shine Headquarters. Her mission is to rescue five hidden puppies.

Puppy Alert is part of the EJ Spy School series, written for beginner readers based on a McFarlane's well established and popular EJ12 Girl Hero series. This younger version goes back two years earlier, to when Emma was recruited and trained for work in the Shine Agency.

The EJ Spy School series incorporates large, easy font, short chapters, subjects which appeal to young girls and simple story lines which take place over a short time period, all features which make this series a good starting point for beginner readers who would like to join in EJ12's exciting world of missions, adventure, fun and animal rescues.

The illustrations are sweet and do more than just decorate and break up the text for easier reading. They also work with the text conveying meaning not stated in words. This helps to build a bridge between picture books young readers are used to, and the chapter books they are striving for.

Lilli-Pilli, The Frog Princess

 

Lilli-Pilli, The Frog Princess by Vashti Farrer, illustrated by Owen Swan (Scholastic Press Australia) 

HB RRP $24.99

ISBN 978-1-74169-620-2

Reviewed by Felicity Pulman

The pastel line drawing of a joyful young girl leaping off the pink front cover on long frog legs is guaranteed to prompt a curious child to investigate further.  This is a delightful modern fairy tale of a young princess who cannot please her royal parents, Queen Euphorbia and King Nasturtium, or live up to their expectations because, unlike the other royal princesses, she has long frog legs that get in the way of everything she does.

The curving text on some pages perfectly illustrates the leaps and capers of her progress from acrobatics at the Royal Swimming Pool, through lessons on how to be a proper princess, to the dance floor of the Grand Ball where prospective suitors complain that she’s treading on their toes.

Princess Lilli-Pilli is rescued from ignominy by Prince Antirrhinum, star gymnast of the Royal Circus, who twirls and whirls her and throws her into the air, to the amazement and delight of everyone (except the Royal Dancing Master.)  The princess’s future happiness is assured, especially when she becomes the prince’s partner in the Royal Circus’s newest act: The Flying Antirrhinums.

Owen Swan’s delicate illustrations complement perfectly the quirky humour of Vashti Farrer’s text – doing ‘pullovers, back-flips and hip-back circles’ sounds like such fun!  Above all, this story gives a positive message to children that, even if you’re different in some way, even if you don’t fit in, it’s still possible to be happy and fulfilled because everyone has a special talent of some sort.

 

Felicity Pulman is the author of numerous award-winning novels for children and teenagers, including Ghost Boy, the Shalott trilogy and the Janna Mysteries.