PICTURE BOOK NONFICTION : The True Ugly Duckling by Sandra Nickel & Calvin Nicholls
ABOUT THE BOOK
He brought to life stories and characters that millions have A one-legged tin soldier who yearned for love. A poor little match girl. A mermaid who gave up her voice for a prince. But who was Hans Christian Andersen? He was a “strange child.” An ugly duckling. Even his mother said so. He didn’t seem to think like, or look like, anyone around him. But while his tender heart was bruised by ridicule, it responded by driving an unstoppable urge to create, to entertain. If he couldn’t act he would dance, if he couldn’t dance he would sing, and if he couldn’t sing … well, maybe he had stories to tell. With each rejection and defeat, Hans would soothe himself by making art with scissors and whatever was handy. A bit of cloth, a piece of paper. Until one day…
Structured like a fairy tale, this is the story of how Hans Christian Andersen took all the parts of his life—whether painful or transcendent—and used them to create books that have touched children the world over.
This is the first picture book biography of Andersen to be told through a lens that takes into account what scholars now know of his neurodiversity. Anderson, for instance, often told stories while keeping his hands busy by making paper-cut art. In this spirit, the remarkable illustrations by Calvin Nicholls are all created as paper-cut soft sculptures.
A fresh, and uniquely beautiful look at one of the world’s greatest storytellers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR
Sandra Nickel is an award-winning author of picture books. She is honored to be the winner of a Christopher Award, a two-time winner of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators Crystal Kite Award, a finalist for the Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction for Younger Readers, a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection honoree, and a Charlotte Huck Award Recommended author. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults and has presented workshops on writing for children and young adults throughout Europe and the United States. To learn more, visit sandranickel.com.
Calvin Nicholls is an award-winning paper sculptor who began his training in the graphic design program of Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario. His work has appeared in galleries throughout the United States and Canada. He created fifteen sculptures to illustrate Rafe Martin's The World Before This One, which Kirkus Reviews called "remarkable," but this is his first picture book. He lives with his family in Lindsay, Ontario.
Conversation with the author & illustrator here.
REVIEW
This remarkable book makes for a great reading experience. Between the biography of Hans Christian Anderson being told like a fairy tale and the incredible cut paper illustrations, the book makes an impression on the reader. Andersen's story is full of poignancy and heartbreak and yet he never stopped being a storyteller. He simply had to find the right audience. Interestingly, the author shares in the back matter that she was inspired by Andersen's own words describing his childhood as a mirror of The Ugly Duckling. Reading this book shows how Andersen's own often heart-wrenching tales came into existence. The author's note also points out that Andersen may have been autistic with Marfan syndrome (extra long noses, arms, and legs) and her connection to those differences that made him a target of so much unkindness. The story highlights the value of persistence and finding one's passion. Nicholls' art is stunning. The details and 3D nature of cut paper makes the illustrations almost pop off the page. And the illustrator's skill goes perfectly with a story about a man who liked to tell stories using scissors and paper. The integration of one of Andersen's own stories mixed with an art style reminiscent of the subject's own work blends beautifully into a powerful tale. Back matter includes a bibliography and citations. Highly recommended.
SAMPLE ILLUSTRATIONS
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