Presenting Tanya, the Ugly Duckling

Tanya

by Patricia Lee Gauch, Satomi Ichikawa

After being assigned the lead role in her spring dance recital of The Ugly Duckling, clumsy Tanya wonders if she will be able to live up to the part and truly be able to dance like a swan. 12,500 first printing.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, 2nd Grade, 1st Grade

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 24, 1999

About the author

Patricia Lee Gauch is an author who has written over 30 works of children's literature. In 1993, Gauch was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. She has been a resident of the Basking Ridge section of Bernards Township, New Jersey.

Reviews

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I related to this book. I danced ever since I was 18 months up until I graduated as a senior. Ballet was always my favorite; I literally loved dancing. I get sad when I think about it because right now I feel like I don't have a passion. I am doing homework all the time and going to work. I never get invited to hang out with my "friends". I don't have an outlet that I truly love. When I was little, dancing was it for me. Unfortunately, I didn't have an opportunity to connect with an instructor, and I think that was the downfall of it. Now, this goes for anything- if you don't have the support and you have people that keep trying to tear you down and are in it for the wrong reasons, it makes it extremely difficult to keep that fire lit. In my case, I couldn't, and it does make me sad now. I am mainly sad because I feel like I haven't replaced that with anything. I try to experiment with different things, but so far I haven't found anything that clicks. Hopefully, in the near future, I will be blessed with another passion.

Alright, enough about me, let's discuss the book. This book is about a young ballerina named Tanya. She gets cast as the lead role in the production- The Ugly Duckling. Tanya started to feel like she relates a little too close to her character, that she will never be good enough. But, throughout all her hard work, she shines during the final rehearsal. She realizes her full potential and turns into the most beautiful swan. My favorite part of the book was the double-page illustrations where the text doesn't interrupt. It creates a beautiful scene. The text, I would say, was a little too jumpy. The cutting back and forth through didn't time periods might be a little confusing to young children, as it was for me.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book for the ballerina lovers. Tanya is cast to play the part of the Ugly Duckling in her spring recital and must learn her steps: pas de chat, ballonne, brise and more. Readers will understand the meaning of the story at the same time Tanya learns what her part signifies.

Ages: 5 - 9

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[Set · Rating 5 out of 5]

The pictures are beautiful, the story revolves around Tanya learning the ballet dance and story of the ugly duckling as prima ballerina in her ballet recital.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tanya is to be the ugly duckling in the spring recital. Only problem is she still feels like Tanya. She is discouraged until the dress rehersal and she realizes that she is the swan.