the ugly duckling (h.c.a. #8)

it's fun to actually read a hans christian andersen book for this challenge. robert ingpen, the illustrator who won the h. c. a. and the watercolor illustrations in this book were very pretty...almost impressionistic. the text of the story was long...i've only read this story in the very shortened version...but this tale was very developed, apparently very close to the original. the ugly duckling/swan sure was beaten down by the world to the point where he actually seemed like he would rather be dead. "i will fly to those royal birds and they will hack me to death for daring to come near them because i am so ugly, but i dno't mind. i'd rather they killed me than be nipped by the ducks..." yeah, really sad. i didn't try reading this one to my four year old, after checking it over i didn't think she would sit through it though i suppose i could have tried. ah well. there was also a bit of pretty, well, graphic isn't the right word but i am not sure what else to call it so i'll say a graphic scene in which some geese are shot and "their blood tinged the water red." i think kids older than mine might appreciate the story.