The Ugly Duckling

Author and Illustrator: Adapted by Jerry Pinkney
Genre: Fantasy
Awards: Caldecott Honor
Grade Level: Kinder- 2nd grade

This version  is written by Hans Christian Anderson, but is adapted by Pinkney. The ugly duckling, born different from his brothers and sisters, was wondering and found a cottage after an encounter with mean birds and a dog. After three weeks, the ugly duckling went onto swim. Autumn came, and the ugly duckling was all alone. To keep from freezing in the snow, he swam, but one night he became stuck. Luckily a man rescued the ugly duckling, however, he was too scared so he flew away. The ugly duckling soon finds swans, and decides to follow them. The ugly duckling's realization was that he was a beautiful swan. 

I would read aloud this book in my classroom. Young students would enjoy the read aloud, however, language arts and science can be applied. A lesson plan in regards to content can be science; the students will refer back to the types of animals used in this book. A language arts activity can be over the elements of a plot, or the beginning, middle, or end mapping. The students can present their review.