"The Pugly Duckling", by Carla Siravo is a cute children's book about loving yourself the way you are.
Jean and Joe Duck have everything they want and need, except for a baby duckling. One day their dream comes true, but instead of a baby duckling hatching from their egg, a baby pug appears. They love their baby the way he is, but the baby pug dreams of becoming a swan one day, and struggles with the fact that he needs to accept and love himself the way he is before others can love him also.

The illustrations are very cute and the majority of the book is written in rhyme, which makes it appealing to young children and helps with literacy. The message is also clearly presented for young children to understand. My little one who is approaching preschool age loved it, and wants to hear it on a loop. My only qualm with it is the fact that the dog hatches from an egg, which is something that is confusing for little ones. Thank you to NetGalley and Indigo River Publishing for the free e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

An adorable and sweet story of a pug born to a duck family.
My 4 1/2 year old thought it was quite silly and lovely and we read it multiple times.
It's simple, colorful, and fun.
Recommended for families with toddlers looking for an easy read about loving who you are, accepting people for who they are, and knowing you are loved.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

My kids and I LOVED this book. Seriously, how adorable is that cover?
The illustrations are adorable. The storyline is great.


I'll definitely be looking out for other work by this author.

Not sure how I feel about a pug hatching from an egg, thank goodness my toddlers didn’t ask. Other than that part, the rest of the story was cute and teaches you to be yourself. The illustrations are bright and colorful. Thank you to Indigo River Publishing, NetGalley, and the author for a gifted copy. This is my honest review.

Jean and Joe duck get a huge surprise when their duckling hatches. Together they learn about family and what that can look like. A cute twist on the “ugly duckling”.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.***

In the tradition of The Ugly Duckling comes a fun read for young and old alike. Kids who struggle with self esteem issues will enjoy this book. I highly recommend!!
Thanks #netgalley and #IndigoRiverPublishing for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

OH my goodness, anyone with a pug and even without a pug would enjoy this cute and adorably illustrated book. This is perfect for toddlers and preschool kids. The dynamic and energetic word usage will definitely keep a child engrossed in the story. Super cute, fun book!

The Pugly Duckling by Carla Siravo is a sweet book about accepting yourself, even if you are different to everyone else, because that is what makes each and every one of us so amazing. I really enjoyed the bright and colourful illustrations throughout the book, they accompanied the story perfectly. I really enjoy rhyming and onomatopoeia in children's books and this book had both. I feel these elements add even more fun and enjoyment to the story being told.

The only thing I found a little tricky was the formatting of the book because it was not the fully edited edition that was published so some of the pictures, pages and words didn't always match up. However, this did not take away the ability to read and enjoy this sweet story that children would thoroughly enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give my own, honest opinion.

This was a super cute children's book about an ugly "duckling" named John, and his attempts to fit in with the other ducklings whilst feeling like an outsider due to his differences before finally finding out where he truly fits, and how he can still be friends with the ducklings despite his many differences.

I thought this was a fantastic book with a really great message for children; that not being the same as everyone else isn't a bad thing, and being true to yourself and who you are is what's really important. The illustrations were vibrant and well-done and would definitely appeal to kids and keep them invested in this story.

Gotta say though, not sure I'm entirely a fan of John hatching from an egg. That'll bring some confusion and explanations for children when reading it... 8'D

I adore this book. It is a spin on the ugly duckling story where a pug is born to duck parents this time. I have a personal fondness for pugs and illustrations and cute, rhyming text of the story gave it so much charm. It's a beautiful story about being true to yourself and how our differences can make us stronger and benefit others.

This is like the ugly duckling. It would be fun to use to compare with the original story to see what is similar. The illustrations are beautiful and help with the story.

My preschooler loved this book. Funny and engaging! She loved that the pug dressed up as multiple characters.

A cute twist on The Ugly Duckling, The Pugly Duckling is an endearing story that follows a pug named John, who was born to his duck parents, Joe and Jean. John is desperate to do whatever it takes to be accepted by his duckling peers while his parents, continue to encourage him to just be himself. ‘“Dear John”, they said, “just be you, and if you love yourself, then others will too.”’ Bravo to writer Carla Siravo, who celebrates differences through word play and humor.

Child review “I like it! Two thumbs up!

Pairs nicely with: A cold glass of orange juice

Thanks NetGalley for the early release copy! My toddler and I loved it!!! Pugs are our favorite dogs and we loved the message in the story. Just be you and everyone will love you just the way you are. Can't wait to add a hard copy to our collection soon!

This one was a miss for me. I like the idea of embracing differences and loving yourself, certainly, but the dog hatching from an egg might be confusing for young kids.

Poor formatting (on kindle) took a cute book with a good story and made it almost unreadable. Some of the pictures bled into the next page, spaces were missing between quite a few words, and picture placement at times moved sentences out of order.

I've been seeing a lot of children's books lately where the text is underneath the pictures instead of being part of the picture. It doesn't work out well on an e-reader and much of the time makes the book nearly unreadable due to formatting issues. The Pugly Duckling is certainly no exception. What could be a good book with a great message ends up being just a jumbled mess.

A cute, fresh take on an old story. Joe and Jean Duckling are surprised when their new addition John is born and he turns out to be a pug. He tries desperately to fit in with the other ducklings, but is derided at every turn. His parents try to convince him that he should just be himself and the others will like him but he continues to try to be something he is not, going so far as to wear a swan costume. It is only when the ducklings are threatened that John learns that being true to who he is is the key to acceptance.
The illustrations are fun, and the lesson of the story a valuable one, and the fact that much of the tale is told in rhyme will appeal to the young audience for this book.

An interesting idea that didn't quite click for me or Miss Five in terms of the writing and story. Good illustrations, but the writing that went along with it didn't really capture our attention or make us want to re-read over and over like you would want with a kids book.

This was a really cute book. It's basically Rudolf the red nosed reindeer, but with ducks and pugs. The pug has to deal with the fact that he is different from his parents and the community around him ostracizes him. Of course until they need his help. Then they finally celebrate him and learn how to be like him.

Cute new take on the ugly duckling. The pictures are bright and colourful and the rhymes are great. My 2 little ones really enjoyed it.