The Really Ugly Duckling by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith

What is it?

The Really Ugly Duckling

Who wrote it?

Jon Scieszka
illustrated by Lane Smith

Where can it be found?

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales

Adaptation?

Yes, a very different ending to Hans Christian Andersen’s version.

My thoughts in exactly 10 words:

A brilliantly brief and hilarious spin on Andersen’s renowned sentimentality.

It's A Book by Lane Smith

With so much talk about the supposed demise of the book floating around, it’s a pleasure to find a gem such as Lane Smith’s ‘It’s A Book’.

What I love about this book is that it doesn’t set out to portray technology as an evil juggernaut leaving devastated print-book readers maimed and dying in its wake. It is a simple, gentle reminder of the delight that can be found in a bit of technology that has been around for centuries. And it’s Funny!