The classic tale of one egg that’s not quite like the others goes prehistoric in Cheryl Bardoe’s The Ugly Duckling Dinosaur, with illustrations by Doug Kennedy. As in the story universally known, when that egg hatches, the creature who emerges doesn’t look, sound or act like the other ducks in the nest, but the good-natured duck mother promises to love and care for him just the same.
This “ugly duckling” chooses to leave his duck family in search of a place in the world where he fits in, but wherever he goes, he finds that other animals flee at the very sight of him. Assuming that he must simply be so ugly to make everyone run, he even tries to disguise himself to look like other creatures. Thankfully, he soon discovers his true identity when a huge dinosaur who looks just like him finds him and introduces him to her own dinosaur children.
Parents of children who adore dinosaurs, be ready to correctly pronounce names such as Parasaurolophus and Deinonychus, because while this is a fiction picture book, there are factual components included as well. The author’s note in the end describes the scientific links between the ancestors of modern birds and the dinosaurs. Illustrations depicting how scientists believe some of the dinosaurs featured in the book may have looked are shown, and additional resources are suggested, as well.
For dinosaur loving children, The Ugly Duckling Dinosaur combines information and fairy tale into one picture book.
Dawn is surrounded by picture books in her small house, and she enjoys sharing five fun books every Friday on her blog, my thoughts exactly.
Those dinosaur names always get me, but I love that children are exposed to new and different creatures in pictures books like this!