Jemima J: A Novel About Ugly Ducklings and Swans

Average customer rating:

I Just Don't Know....

Amazing and inspirational

Dreadful

Loved It!

I'm glad I only paid $3.00 for this book.

Jemima J: A Novel About Ugly Ducklings and Swans
Jane Green
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

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ASIN: 0767905180
Release Date: 2001-06-05

Book Description

Jemima Jones is overweight. About one hundred pounds overweight. Treated like a maid by her thin and social-climbing roommates, and lorded over by the beautiful Geraldine (less talented but better paid) at the Kilburn Herald, Jemima finds that her only consolation is food. Add to this her passion for her charming, sexy, and unobtainable colleague Ben, and Jemima knows her life is in need of a serious change. When she meets Brad, an eligible California hunk, over the Internet, she has the perfect opportunity to reinvent herself–as JJ, the slim, beautiful, gym-obsessed glamour girl. But when her long-distance Romeo demands that they meet, she must conquer her food addiction to become the bone-thin model of her e-mails–no small feat.
With a fast-paced plot that never quits and a surprise ending no reader will see coming, Jemima J is the chronicle of one woman's quest to become the woman she's always wanted to be, learning along the way a host of lessons about attraction, addiction, the meaning of true love, and, ultimately, who she really is.

Customer Reviews:

I Just Don't Know...........2007-10-04

I'm still reading this book. And I'm actually still at the beginning. But, my question is why does the character have to be sooooo obsessively self-deprecating. While people in general can sometimes question their own self-image, this character's battle wasn't fought with empathy, rather some presumption that all fat people battle with their irrational cravings and a bad image. Is that the case? If so, retort this whole review, but I do know that some of the friends I have who are overwieght don't hate themselves as much as this character seems to. Nor do they chow down on bacon sandwiches because the grease and smell are as inviting as a coveted bedfellow. I will finish this book, but I don't know whether the message is "Get over it Jemima and love yourself as you are" or if it's "You go Jemima, lose weight, because you can then accomplish bigger and better things!" Ohhhhh, and what the heck is her name about! Even the name itself conjures images of sugary syrup and fat laden bacon. Though, I'm sure the author is well-meaning, well-intentioned, much of it comes off as a gross stereotype of the given characters.

Amazing and inspirational.......2007-08-09

I read Jemima J when my friend gave me a copy. I had recently been on a health kick and lost a lot of weight and I related. I understood Jemima. I was Jemima. How she had no self-esteem, felt lonely and repressed and her obsession with America and shallow beauty.

The message in this book is not "if you want your man, lose weight" - it's embrace who you are. She had the fling with the gorgeous californian and the dream turned sour. That all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood was not what was going to make her happy. Ben liked Jemima for who she was and not what she looked like.

I just re-read it seven years later and once again - it's inspired me. You can call it shallow fluff or drivel but I think it's a tale of love and how if you really, really want something you can have it.

"Jemima J" is a masterpiece and Jane Green is a genius. The book spoke to me and it's my favourite of all time. I've also read other books my this author but this is the best.

Dreadful.......2007-08-09

I read this book after it was recommended to me by a woman I work with, and it was awful. Predictable, unimaginative and uninspired. In a word it's Chick-Lit. Fat girl is in love with a handsome man who doesn't see her, she loses weight and to everyone's astonishment she is strikingly beautiful as a thin person! This story line has a lot in common with many bad movies.

Loved It!.......2007-07-11

I don't care if she was fat or skinny. I liked the book and thought it was a very cute story. I liked how they showed her point of view as first a fat girl and then as a skinny one. It was very funny.

I'm glad I only paid $3.00 for this book........2007-06-26

I was excited about the premise of this book, being a large girl myself, but as I read I become more and more frustrated with where things are going. Why do women have to be thin, blonde and beautiful to get anywhere in this world, with men, work or otherwise? I think it sets a terrible example and Jemima doesn't seem to be trying to lose weight in a healthy way. Jemima went from one extreme (food addiction) to another (exercise addiction). You don't just suddenly stop being addicted to food - like any other addiction, it's a hard habit to break, there is no way she just suddenly stopped eating (almost altogether!). I guess I'm taking most of this stuff too literally, it is only a book, after all. I guess I feel let down that even a woman writer can't make her heroin more of a real person than a cartoon character of what society thinks a women should be. I'm more than halfway through the book, but I'm not sure I'm going to finish it.

Average customer rating:

LOVE IT
Beauty isn't everything....but it helps!
Great
Ugly Duckling is a Gander of a Read.
I loved this book

The Ugly Duckling
Iris Johansen
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0553569910
Release Date: 1996-12-01

Book Description

If fate suddenly made you more beautiful that you ever dreamed possible, would it be the beginning of a fairy tale, or your worst nightmare?

The brutal attack should have killed anybody, but Nell Calder did more than survive. She emerged a woman transformed, with an exquisite beauty found only in fairy tales. Nell Calder deserved a happy ending. Instead, her descent into terror has just begun.

Her attacker is still on the hunt, determined to finish what he's started. And Nell, protected by a new face, is just as determined to fight back and take her revenge. But to catch her prey, she will have to expose herself—even if it makes her a killer's prime target.

Customer Reviews:

LOVE IT.......2007-03-09

I LOVE IRIS JOHANSEN!!!! ALL OF THE BOOKS I HAVE READ OF HERS ARE GREAT!!!!! READ THEM, YOU WON'T BE DISAPOINTED!

Beauty isn't everything....but it helps!.......2006-10-03

Another great page-turner from Iris Johansen! Plain, timid, and overweight protagonist whips it into shape before setting off on her quest for revenge/closure. Thankfully, the improvement to her outward appearance (courtesy of kind and noble plastic surgeon) is eclipsed by the inner beauty/strength Nell finds. Interesting and suspenseful plot with a cast of heroic characters carrying their own dark secrets. You will cheer on the strong females and their cunning pals as they give the bad guys their comeuppance. Recommended.

Great.......2006-09-21

This book along with Face of Deception is what hooked me to her books. Most of them are wonderful but there are a couple that turn out predictable.

Ugly Duckling is a Gander of a Read........2006-07-09

This was my first Iris Johansen book, and I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed it. Fast paced after the first two chapters, intriguing and suspenseful, this is a book you will want to keep reading until you reach the very ending. What mother wouldn't come out of her shell after some "boogie man" has murdered her innocent 4 year-old daughter?

The only problem I had with this book is how a cosmetic surgeon's makeover on Nell gives her immediate confidence once the bandages come off, and a lot of her humility disappears. Often, especially with the "Helen of Troy" face she was given by the surgeon, a woman has more misery than blessings, and it's hard to believe she didn't need counseling with the brand new face.

Other than that, there was a slew of great characters, and I especially enjoyed the character Tonya who quickly became Nell's friend through her own losses. Check this book out if you like good storytelling, high suspense, and a decent romantic plot. It's not my favorite book, but it's good enough to recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good, involving suspense novel.

I loved this book.......2006-06-12

This is the first book by Iris Johansen I read and my goodness what a page turner. I just kept reading till I was finished into the wee hours of the morn.

I loved the characters of Nell and Nicholas and the other characters were also amazing.

I will most assuredly be buying another book by this author.

The Ugly Duckling (Caldecott Honor Book)

Average customer rating:

such a deep meaning between its light, childish writings...
Know who you are
The Kind of Hope We All Need to Remember
Honk!
The Ugly Duckling

The Ugly Duckling (Caldecott Honor Book)
Hans Christian Andersen , and Jerry Pinkney
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 068815932X

Amazon.com

Three-time Caldecott Honor artist and four-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, Jerry Pinkney doesn't disappoint with this lovely, old-fashioned, richly textured watercolor adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's The Ugly Duckling. The mother duck knew from the very beginning that one of her babies would be different from the rest... the sixth egg was large and oddly shaped. When it finally hatches that summer, she thinks the "monstrous big duckling" must be a turkey chick! Other ducks are appalled by the ugly duckling, and he is chased, pecked, and kicked aside. When he can't stand it anymore, he runs away from the pond, eventually taking refuge in the warm cottage of an old woman with a cat and a hen. Missing the delicious feeling of the water too much to stay, however, he heads out again into the wide, increasingly cold autumn world.

One day, he heard a sound of whirring wings, and up in the air he saw a flock of birds flying high. They were as bright as the snow that had fallen during the night, and their long necks were stretched southward. Oh, if only he could go with them! But what sort of companion could he be to those beautiful beings?"

At last, after a hard, cold winter--and plenty of the kind of adventures no one really wants to have--the duckling sees the same flock of birds he'd seen in the sky so many months ago. He decides he will follow them, somewhat dramatically preferring to be killed by them rather than suffer any more "cold and hunger and cruelty." Much to his surprise, they welcome him! And when he looks for his dull, awkward reflection in the water, he sees a beautiful swan instead. Children who feel ostracized, even for the tiniest of differences, may shed a few sympathetic tears for the ugly duckling. And no doubt, it was Andersen's wish to give them the hope of one day finding their own peaceful place. (Ages 3 to 9) --Karin Snelson

Book Description

For over one hundred years The Ugly Duckling has been a childhood favorite, and Jerry Pinkney's spectacular new adaptation brings it triumphantly to new generations of readers. With keen emotion and fresh vision, the acclaimed artist captures the essence of the tale's timeless appeal: The journey of the awkward little bird -- marching bravely through hecklers, hunters, and cruel seasons -- is an unforgettable survival story; this blooming into a graceful swan is a reminder of the patience often necessary to discover true happiness. Splendid watercolors set in the lush countryside bring drama to life.

Customer Reviews:

such a deep meaning between its light, childish writings..........2007-09-11

(This review is about the story and not about the specific content of the book)

Luis Mejia (son) - As a fan of more classic readings, I personaly got to appreciate Hans Christen Andersen as one of my favourite writters, not only because his beautiful, gorgeous tales are brought up for a sleepy kid who likes to hear a story from his dad, as he finally gets asleep with a smile, its because among all of his works, some may be totally written for putting on paper a story full of fantastic moments but without an implicit meaning, but in its underlying words, it can teach a lot about values, just like The Little Mermaid tales a great value and a deep, underlying meaning of true love, making hard decissions toward the theme, the beauty of love an its unreachable boundaries, but, among all of Andersen's writtigs, The Ugly Duckling is one of his two that makes me cry. Its heartful, touchy story about a little duck, who, like every alive creature in the world, even a real duck, just want to be accepted as a normal duck who wants to learn about the experience of life, even when he doesn't knows that, unfortunately, this doesn't go that way, his brothers and other mates would constantly pick on him, bothering him, making the poor duck cry, even his mother felt embarassed about having such an ugly duck, what's the meaning in this part of the story? When you are an adult, or a mature adolescent one gets it quickly, even its meaning about rejecting/bullying others because of any condition (as this is not focused on beauty, is focused on any aspect that it could be found) can be seen in modern society, and, as it later reflects on the ongoing story, it can have very sad effects. The duck, all alone even at his early life, goes onto a journey of searching his place or at least some love, and he fails a couple of times, here the meaning is another very deep one, life is about risks and chances, and nothing is sure, anyone can make mistakes in any moment of his life, even when they are sadder. And when, finally, he discovers a place where he wished he could live, he felt deeply attracted by this place and its animals, and, when these attractive animals come closer, the little ugly duckling was already been hurted, so he was even more scared, as these animals he was seeing where something really special, to the point of even thinking "It doesn't matter now, I would prefer to dye here, beside this beautiful creatures, even if they kill me, or I dye in the cold, instead of all alone outside" (it really says this) this part really touches my heart. But instead of finding strong rejection, he founds comprehension and acceptance, he is even regarded as one of those beautiful animals which he dreamed about!

For children, there's no way to search for a meaning here, as it may stay as a simple, short story, attractive because of talking animals and light emotions, and a very good one for putting to sleep a children, but for adults, this story is much more than that, the story coul've been made up to even 500 pages, although here the parts are clear, main rejection, something general instead of specific, a search for a true home, a couple of places with searched with failure, and his final transformation. So, the values that this story teaches are amazing and pretty recognizables, values like those of patience, love, comprehension, although the story's main point is clear: even in our hardest situations in life, at any age, at any time, we should always be hopeful and faithful, we'll have to start our journey for finding our place, as the duck did, we shall never give up, don't be the duck that dies in the cold or loses every hope, we'll make a lot of mistakes, go through many situations that gets us down in the road, but without giving up, as the duck who finds two places where he didn't fit as well (as well as it could've been a thousand places), and, even if the road seems eternal and unreachable, even if we've been through a lot of sad stories, even if we're all alone within any situation, we'll find our true home, the true love, our deeply desired place, we'll finally discover ourselves, and have a happy ending, living happy forever.

Plus, the gorgeous illustrations and sensitive way of telling the story in the book, makes it a really fantastic, pretty edition.

Know who you are.......2007-02-09

This book was absolutely wonderful, especially the illustrations. My children loved it. It was not just about being ugly, it was about knowing who you are, your roots, etc - self awareness and self-confidence. The poor duckling "thought" that he was ugly because he didn't know who he really was [a swan]. ...Because he was different from everyone around him, he believed that he was what everyone said he was -- ugly and worthless. The others picked on him because he was different. Once he discovered the truth of who he really was is when he was set free from the bondage of all the untruth that he heard. He discovered who he really was and flourished.

The Kind of Hope We All Need to Remember.......2006-05-12

A beautiful picture book on the Hans Christian Anderson tale. The Ugly Duckling is one of the world's most passionate childrens' stories of becoming. A wonderful book to read to remind a child what's possible no matter what. It's always a good thing to know one really is a swan ...underneath it all.

Honk!.......2005-06-23

"The Ugly Duckling" is one of those rare examples of the triumph of image over story. Anyone who's ever read, heard, or seen performed this story knows that there are elements to it that can make you feel a hair uncomfortable. After all, the moral of the tale is that it doesn't matter how awful your life has been just so long as you're beautiful and look like all the pretty people in the end. Even if we dislike what "The Ugly Duckling" is trying to say, though, it's hard not to be compelled by its striking images. The cygnet amongst the ducklings. The resentment directed at him by both the animal kingdom and humankind. And then, the slow realization that he is in fact the most beautiful creature in the entire world. If this story were a Grimm Brothers tale it would probably end with the duckling rubbing his newfound good looks in his siblings' faces. Fortunately, we're in Hans Christian Andersen territory here, and (more specifically) Jerry Pinkney territory as well. Mr. Pinkney has taken Andersen's original wordy version and pared it down to the point where contemporary children will understand and identify with it better. He's even changed the moral of the tale oh-so-slightly so that it's less lotsa-pain-equals-more-physical-beauty and more hard-work-will-lead-to-happiness-in-the-end. I'm not personally buying it, but that's the fault of Andersen. Not Pinkney.

In case you are not familiar with the original Andersen version (and isn't it remarkable that there isn't a Disney version out there somewhere?) here's the lowdown. One day a mother duck finds that one of her eggs is different from the others. No explanation of this is ever given. Pity. When the eggs hatch the largest/different one takes a long time to crack open and when it does it exhibits a large ugly grey "duckling". Immediately, trouble starts. Other ducks bite the duckling's head and its brothers and sisters join in. It gets so depressed that when a dog passes it over as a meal it can only think, "I am too ugly even for a dog to eat". A woman, a cat, and a chicken all find the duckling to be utterly useless. It freezes in a pond and flees the nice man that frees it. Finally after multiple trials and countless tribulations the duckling turns into a swan, meets up with its brethren, and discovers the beauty of ... um... beauty.

No deep insights in this one. Now normally I don't much care for Jerry Pinkney's illustrations. I found his "John Henry" to be a bit slapdash and his "Noah's Ark" lacking. For some reason though, "The Ugly Duckling" works. When you consider that I don't usually like the story and I don't usually like the illustrator, the fact that I like the two when combined is just plum weird. It's not that the story has improved much. But under Pinkney's hand it becomes tolerable. Sure, it's still mighty depressing to see the poor little duckling bitten, screamed at, and teased. But when he's beautiful, there's no arguing with his looks.

In the end, I tip my hat to Pinkney's guts. Some people will pooh-pooh this review because they feel I'm criticizing the story and not the edition itself. Blarney. You can't separate this book from the tale on which it's based. I'm still not a fan of "The Ugly Duckling". I think it teaches the wrong lessons in a clumsy way. But Jerry Pinkney has given us perhaps the only edition of the original story that's readable in this day and age. For that reason alone the book deserves its Caldecott Honor.

The Ugly Duckling.......2005-06-06

I read the book The Ugly duckling by Jerry Pinkney.
The book is about a ugly duckling,everyone is mean to him. One day he got fed up with them so he ran away to a pond but there was a shoot off . So he immediately ran off. After awhile he came across a old ladies house. Her animals were mean to him so he went to a pond.In the winter he froze and a farmer gets him out.He did not like them either so he ran away. In the spring he finds out he is a wonderful swan.
I enjoyed the book because I never heard the part when he got frozen. The theme is never be down about the way you look because you might look better when you get older. This book didn't have good word choice and all the words were easy I liked that.The conflict is he is ugly and everyone is mean to him.The illustrations were very full. the character is the ugly duckling. There are many different version. The intended audience is kids who are not beautiful so they don't feel bad about themselves.

Rabbit Ears Treasury of Fables and Other Stories: The Three Little Pigs/The Three Billy Goats Gruff, Rumpelstiltskin, The Tiger and the Brahmin, The Ugly Duckling (Rabbit Ears)

Average customer rating:

too much music
Great for a long family trip

Rabbit Ears Treasury of Fables and Other Stories: The Three Little Pigs/The Three Billy Goats Gruff, Rumpelstiltskin, The Tiger and the Brahmin, The Ugly Duckling (Rabbit Ears)
Rabbit Ears
Manufacturer: Listening Library (Audio)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 0739336525
Release Date: 2006-08-22

Book Description

The Rabbit Ears Treasury of Fables and Other Stories entertains and enlightens with these classic animal stories--read by your favorite stars and featuring original music by some of today's greatest artists.

The Three Billy Goats Gruff / The Three Little Pigs
Read by Holly Hunter
Original Music by Art Lande
Three billy goats encounter a greedy troll--and turn the tables on him--when they try to cross a bridge in the popular Norwegian classic The Three Billy Goats Gruff.
The big bad wolf huffs and puffs his way through the tale of the brave pig who outsmarts his fellow oinkers by simply working harder in the all-time favorite The Three Little Pigs.

Rumpelstiltskin
Read by Kathleen Turner
Original Music by Tangerine Dream
When the king orders a young woman to spin a room full of straw into gold, she turns to a mysterious elfin man for help . . . but will the price of his aid be her first-born child?

The Tiger and the Brahmin
Read by Ben Kingsley
Original Music by Ravi Shankar
"I shan't eat you if you let me out of the cage," the tiger tells the Brahmin before the holy man discovers that the tiger intended to eat him all along. Only the intervention of a clever jackal can save the Brahmin from his fate.

The Ugly Duckling
Read by Cher
Original Music by Patrick Ball
Rediscover the inner beauty in all of us with this beloved Hans Christian Andersen story of the outcast duckling who finds himself transformed into a beautiful swan.

Customer Reviews:

too much music.......2007-06-19

I was disappointed for two reasons: first too much background music made it difficult to hear the reader; secondly, the writers changed the story. Why try to "improve" upon a classic like the Three Little Pigs??

Great for a long family trip.......2007-03-30

Our family (5-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son) has enjoyed several of these Rabbit Ears collections while on the road. The stories are long enough, but not so long that attention wanders, and the music is lovely, too.

The Ugly Duckling/El patito feo (Bilingual Fairy Tales)

Average customer rating:

Sad story, but a fine version

The Ugly Duckling/El patito feo (Bilingual Fairy Tales)
Merce Escardo i Bas
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0811844552

Book Description

Retold in both Spanish and English, the universally loved story The Ugly Duckling will delight early readers and older learners alike. The striking illustrations give a new look to this classic tale, and the bilingual text makes it perfect for both home and classroom libraries.

Customer Reviews:

Sad story, but a fine version.......2007-07-21

This is an excellent adaptation of the ugly duckling saga, with a crisp, bilingual translation and lovely, cartoonish art. Max, a Barcelona-based comicbook artist uses the tricks of his trade to give the duckling lots of character, and the graphic composition is marvelous, making the most of the modest page size. The story itself is always so sad that I find it hard to get through, but this version was a visual delight. Nice Spanish-English translation, taken from the original Catalan edition, ideal for helping gringo kids learn a little espanol. Recommended!

The Ugly Duckling: Level 1 (Easy-to-Read, Puffin)

Average customer rating:

The ugly duckling

The Ugly Duckling: Level 1 (Easy-to-Read, Puffin)
Harriet Ziefert , and Emily Bolam
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140383522

Customer Reviews:

The ugly duckling.......2003-09-26

The ugly duckling is a good childrens book because it teaches kids not to judge people because they look differnt or act differnt. This book is about a duck that is ugly, and the other ducks reject the ugly duck. I would recamend this book for children 3-6 because thats what it said on the cover of the book.

Average customer rating:

Everybody is beautiful one way or another

The Ugly Duckling
H.C. Andersen , and Lisa McCue
Manufacturer: Golden Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0307121062
Release Date: 1990-01-15

Customer Reviews:

Everybody is beautiful one way or another .......2005-12-09

This is one of the fairy tale stories every parent should have in their bookshelves for their kids to enjoy and read while they are growing up, that actually have moral values for the kids to learn. I've enjoyed reading this when I was a kid and now when I have my own kids, I would definitely make sure they read this as one of their booklist.

This book is about a little duck who isn't like any of its brothers and sisters who are yellow and beautiful, and everybody calls it the "Ugly Duckling". It is ostracized by everybody it knows and due to this he runs away from home, growing up alone and have several little adventures of it's own, and one time wishing it is as beautiful as a swan.

The Ugly Duckling (Oversize Gift Edition)

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The Ugly Duckling (Oversize Gift Edition)
Hans Christian Andersen
Manufacturer: Viking Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0670061778
Release Date: 2006-10-19

Book Description

Hans Christian Andersen's heartwarming tale about a young bird who is ostracized for being an ugly duckling, but eventually grows into a beautiful swan. Illustrated by Henri Galeron, and edited by Maria Tatar, Dean for the Humanities at Harvard University.

Average customer rating:

This author needs help!!
Consequences of being unattractive
Ugly?
Beauty is ....
Beauty 's not skin deep

Diary of an Ugly Duckling
Karyn Langhorne
Manufacturer: HarperTorch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0060847557
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Book Description

What makes an otherwise sane woman appear on a reality TV show?

Especially one as drastic as Ugly Duckling? For Audra Marks, the last straw comes when she loses her shot with handsome Art Bradshaw to the prettier and lighter-skinned Esmeralda Prince. Audra's always lived in a classic movies fantasy world of diva dames and handsome heroes, where the costumes are gorgeous, the good guys always win, and love always triumphs. But now, her heart broken, she's decided to do anything to get back her man and show her hypercritical mother she can "pretty up" with the best of them in the bargain.

After all, if the folks at Ugly Duckling can transform a homely, buck-toothed white girl into a ravishing beauty, just think what they'll be able to do with Audra! But until she truly believes she's beautiful inside, it won't matter how hot and pretty they make the outside package. And Audra's obsession with perfection may be leading her farther and farther away from what's really important -- and blinding her to the love that's been waiting there all along . . .

Customer Reviews:

This author needs help!!.......2007-09-07

Honestly this book was basicially off the reality show "The Ugly Duckling!" Some of the events were just what the the reality show was airing on tv!!! This book was boring and it lost my interest! The television show was more interesting than the book!! I would not tell anyone about this boring book. The only reason why I read the book was b/c my bookclub was reading it....PLEASE DONT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!!!!!

Consequences of being unattractive.......2007-08-07

"Diary of an Ugly Duckling" was my first dose of Karyn Langhorne's work. I had never heard of her before, however, I thought that I would do something differently and read a book authored by someone unfamiliar to me. I read the review of the book and said to myself, "Hmmm, seems interesting enough." My assumption was right! The plot, the characters, and the fashion in which she told her story were creative and innovative. Langhorne is one of the most descriptive authors I have come across in some time; She is great at giving the reader explicative details, luring the reader in all the while.

The dramatic "Diary of an Ugly Duckling" is a fable about a woman named Audra Marks. Audra is a classic movie fanatic and exudes great personality with her sarcasm and constant clowning. However, most people in her life consider her "fat, black and ugly." A few of the characters in this book feel that Audra uses her wit and satirical remarks because the world finds her unattractive. After one too many negative criticisms about her physical appearance, she decides she wants to be a contestant on a television show called "The Ugly Duckling". This show claims that they can make unsightly folk look gorgeous.

Audra works as a corrections officer and a few pages into the book we read that she has a new, very attractive male co-worker, Art Bradshaw. Although Audra is attracted to Art, he is seemingly completely uninterested in her. This is implied because when they converse, he rarely looks into her face, he prefers to look at or over her shoulder. Audra feels that if she alters her appearance she may have a chance with Art.

Another conflict that arises in the story is that Audra is unsure of who her paternal father is. She asks her mom a few times, but her mom is evasive and concise with each inquiry. In this story, the reader will see the amazing epiphany Audra reaches after she goes on the television show and gets made over (as it relates to her paternal father.)

Also, throughout the story, Audra appears pretty strong and resilient to negative comments and threatening conflicts, but her sensitivity is shown when she e-mails her sister Petra, who is a soldier in Iraq. She yearns to see her sister and Karyn Longhorne had an amazing technique that made the reader yearn with the protagonist.

Overall, this was a very pleasant read. It was nothing short of a page-turner. The reader will root for Audra near the end of the book because of the extensive hardship she had to endure. This book is a bit lengthy, but if you can get through it, you will be impressed, I mean that. 5 stars.

Ugly?.......2007-02-10

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and sadly, Audra Marks definitely doesn't see herself as beautiful. Instead, she jokes about being big, black and ugly; though it bothers her that she sees herself this way. She uses her bigger than life personality to hide behind, along with her love of classic movies. Armed with both, she plans to approach Art Bradshaw, the new corrections officer at her job, with the perfect line to win him over, but is thwarted by an altercation with an inmate. Though she doesn't get to make a grand entrance, Art later invites her to his daughter's birthday party. Believing she's been invited as a guest of his, she is quickly corrected when his daughter shoots off at the mouth, attacking her and calling her ugly, and telling her why she thinks her Dad really invited Audra.

At her lowest, Audra decides to take control of her life and enters a contest for a reality show which promises to turn women from ugly ducklings into the beautiful images they desire. This begins her journey into finding herself and what truly makes her special. When she is chosen as the first black woman to be made over on the show, her life takes a major turn--not necessarily for the best; especially when she's told she'll have to lighten her skin. Audra must dig deep and decide which is more important, her inner beauty or the outer beauty visible to others.

DIARY OF AN UGLY DUCKLING reminded me of the reality show "The Swan" minus the background drama of her family and secret love of Art. I enjoyed the author's use of well-rounded characters, humor, and originality in the aspect of Audra's love for movie classics. It was easy to get caught up in the story revolving around self-confidence and learning to love yourself as you are.

Reviewed by Tee C. Royal
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Beauty is ...........2007-01-12

This is a must read. It takes a modern day spin on an ugly duckling theme. This story is told in a very humorous yet sensitive manner. There is an element of romance, which has you wanting Audra to end up with her prince Art.

The author really gives an insight into what it's like to be on the receiving end of people picking on you because of your looks. Audra considers herself "fat, ugly and black" and her interaction with her mother and the people she interacts with and the way they treat her makes her feel bad about herself on the inside and out.

Then the chance of a lifetime. A reality show offering a free makeover with plastic surgery and fitness and a chance to be "beautiful". Sounds too good to be true. It is. This book shows how these reality shows are often only in it for the ratings and revenue and don't really care about the individual. However through this outward journey "to fix " her appearance, Audra is able to also look at her inner self and resolve some of the issue which affected they way she felt about herself.

It also tackles head on how the view that the lighter skinned you are the more beautiful you are considered. And the extremes to which people will sometimes go to achieve lighter skin. And how the images we see in the media of successful people of color, often feature people of a certain lighter skin tone giving this idea credence.

Beauty 's not skin deep.......2006-09-30

Diary of an Ugly Duckling was fascinating,incredible and ingenious. The story makes every reader do a self examination of what they have believed to be beautiful and what is not. Audra Marks is the epitome of most women. She is smart, sexy, intelligent and yet she does not comprehend this for her self. All of her life people have called her fat, black and ugly. Constantly hearing this has caused her to make dramatic changes to her physical body. She does finally learn the lession that beauty is ony skin deep to be true, but the price she has to pay is costly for not only herself, but for her family who truly love her and for her one and only soul mate. Art Bradshaw is the man of every women's dream. I think this is an excellent book for young women coming of age, searching for their character and sexuality.

Little Mermaids and Ugly Ducklings: Favorite Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen

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Little Mermaids and Ugly Ducklings: Favorite Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen
Spirin Gennady
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 081181954X

Book Description

Lavishly illustrated by award-winning artist Gennady Spirin, this spectacular collection gathers together six of the most beloved stories by master storyteller Hans Christian Andersen. The characters in these tales, from the loyal little mermaid to the brave tin soldier to the ugly duckling, learn life lessons from the experiences they encounter, lessons that are still vital to the way we live today. And Gennady Spirin’s delicate watercolors, in the tradition of the great masters of the Renaissance, bring these enchanted characters and their valuable lessons magically to life. Together, the pictures and tales combine to create a timeless collection of classic stories that deserve a special place on every bookshelf.

Stories included:
The Princess and the Pea
The Brave Tin Soldier
Thumbelina
The Ugly Duckling
The Nightingale
The Little Mermaid

Awards and honors for Little Mermaids and Ugly Ducklings:
Society of Illustrators, Original Art 2001

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