The Pugly Duckling

This was an adorable book. The story was great and I loved the illustrations. I will def recommend everyone with young ones to purchase and read this book!

A very sweet story! A great read for kids! I really found it to be so sweet and would make a fun read for kids.

Very enjoyable romp, mostly in rhyme, concerning a pair of ducks that get an ugly duckling for a child, but there's no way he's going to grow up to become a swan – the creature that came out of their egg (don't even think about the biology here) is a pug dog. And however much he wants to fit in and be down with the chicks, they see right through him. How can they ever get to accept him? Bright illustrations in a modern style kind of contrast with the fact that the moral, of being yourself and that being enough, should be as old as the hills. Yet it almost seems to be a completely fresh new story here, so this demonstration of the power of not conforming is most welcome. Still worried about how many children will expect dogs to hatch from eggs as a result, mind...

The Pugly duckling is a sweet book for kids with fun illustrations.
A cute read, perfect for children! This one is definitely one to consider when choosing something to gift for family members with younger members.
The illustrations are lovely and the story is easy to follow The language with rhyming made is fun and easy to read. Great moral about being true to yourself and believe.
Little John was lovely 🥰
Thank you NetGalley for the Arc in return for a review.

A super fun and cute read, perfect for children! This one is definitely one to consider when choosing something to gift for family members with small children. The illustrations are lovely and the story is easy to follow.

This is a cut book. I enjoy reading it.
The illustrations are wonderful. Only one little thing I am not sure if I should bring it up. In this book, the Pug was hatched in an egg. Don't you think this little detail can probably mislead the kids that dogs are not mammals? I'm not sure. This bothers me a little.

Oh my goshhhhhh....too much cute in one little book!

John the Pug learns self acceptance in this cutie-patooty story about owning who you are and loving yourself exactly as you are.

Gorgeous, fun and engaging photographs will engage littles as they learn big lessons.

I loved it!

Thank you to Indigo River Publishing for giving me an ARC of this book. It was my pleasure to write an honest review.

I read it with my son who loves dogs. Talks quite a lot about the importance of family and support even when there might be many differences.
I loved how the ducks broke their barriers and became brave, too.

Will keep this copy on Kindle for regular reading. It might become my son's new favorite!

This was a fun little read with all the silly words to make my son laugh. I love the concept behind the book of not trying to fit in and just being true to your self. It was a cute little read with fun illustrations

A lovely book with a re-do of The Ugly Duckling story! Precious for little kids to know they only have to be themselves for people who matter to care!

I was granted complimentary access to The Pugly Duckling by Carla Siravo through the publisher Indigo River Publishing in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley.

The Pugly Duckling is a cute spin on the classic Ugly Duckling tale, but this time the ugly duckling isn't even a bird, it's a dog! John the "pugly" duckling isn't accepted by his duckling peers until fate provides him the opportunity to show that sometimes having a canine friend around is a good thing. This is a cute book about accepting those who are different and how everyone has value and varied important talents..

The illustrations are adorable, too!

What a great book to read to your children to teach them about individuality and being themselves. The world we live in can be scary, and children can feel sad or disappointed when they are not like others. The Pugly Duckling shows children that being your true self is the best you can be! Poor John just wanted to fit in with the ducklings, but being a dog made him that much more loveable!

The Pugly Duckling is an adorable book about a pair of ducks who long for a baby, when they finally get their wish he's a little different to what they expected.
The story is about accepting yourself and not worrying about what others think.
I read this to my 4 year old son and we both loved the story and the illustrations.

Thank you to NetGalley and Indigo River Publishing for my copy.

Pugly duckling 🤗

It’s an story to teach you to be who you are.
It’s funny, the illustrations are very cute 😍

My nephew was an bit confused that pugly came out of an egg 🤔😬
He just learned on school that dogs are mammals...

But he loved it either way 🤗

Definitely an recommendation

This is a very cute children's book about an ugly "duckling" named John. It is a great story for kids about being true to yourself and using your gifts, whatever they are.

A cute story with an original concept. Pugs are very popular right now and I could see readers gravitating towards this title for that reason. The illustrations look a little amateurish, but overall well executed.

The Pugly Duckling was super cute! The message behind being yourself is always a great one for kids books. The rhyming and silly words is also a fun idea. As a mom to a toddler, I can confidently say this would quickly become a favorite in our household.

My pug loving heart is happy!

This story is adorable and funny. I loved John the pug and the positive message about being yourself.

We all need this precious book, whether we’re four or forty. 2020 may have been a trying year, but it still gave us the soothing balm of great books, including this one!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my digital review copy.

A book about being true to yourself and not trying to be what you aren't. This is a great book for kids. The illustrations and silly rhymes and words make it a fun read-aloud that will be enjoyed by little kids. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

The Pugly Duckling is an Ugly Duckling story with a twist - the duckling is actually a pug! This is such a cute and funny story about two ducks who long for a duckling and then one day become parents to the biggest and strangest duckling of all - John the Pug.
John longs to be like the other ducklings and they don't want to play with him not because of his looks but because they know he's not a duck and think he's trying to fool them all and lie about who he truly is. John's parents tell him to to just be himself but he doesn't listen, until one day John becomes a hero by being his true self and then he learns a valuable lesson to just be who you are.
The illustrations in this book are so cute and funny and I loved the rhyming silliness of this book. Children will have such a fun time reading it!

We read ‘The Pugly Duckling’ last night, my little one enjoyed the story of the sad puppy and wondered how a puppy could hatch from an egg. And I was simply amazed by the uniqueness and weight of this seemingly ordinary children's book. The moment we are aware of the uniqueness of other individuals, we will gain awareness of our value, and when we accept everyone as a part of life we ​​will understand the message that is so effectively woven into every effectively chosen word in this picture book.
No two people are the same.
They can look different, sound different, dress differently. They may have different customs, cultural backgrounds, beliefs, and religions. They may have different abilities. They can live in different houses or different families.
Children need to learn that being different is normal.
As children grow, they learn from their parents. That is why this book is a real treasure and should be a part of every family library. A story that conveys the true wisdom of diversity in a very simple and interesting way. John the pug is a great character, who is a very effective way to shows the emotional side of this problem of being different. How can one feel when he is different when he is ridiculed when he is not accepted by the environment. This character can greatly contribute to the development of empathy for others. And the illustrations are just fantastic, not only will they capture and retain your child's attention, but they will also help the child visualize and relate the story to a picture. The book additionally offers huge opportunities that allow you to involve the child in conversation and to discuss topics that are certainly present in your daily life. Surely at least once your child has asked you a question like "Why is that person in a wheelchair?", "Why does that person have different skin color than me?" or "Why does that person wear funny clothes?", and this wonderful picture book offers you the opportunity to discuss all those questions, to encourage the child to think critically and to draw his conclusions.
A fantastic picture book that should be a must-read for all children. Easy to follow and with the right language structures, this picture book is a great choice for a good night story or a lazy, afternoon read.

This book is great for a lower grade class to read on the carpet. Its another way if teaching The Ugly Duckling. Little Puglia is cracked open and clearly isn't a duck. His Mom and Dad put a duck suit on him and send him out to play. Each day he comes back crying. They tell him to show them all the different things that he can do, bark, catch a ball, and be a friend. When a fox comes against him, who do you think is the one that saves he day? This is such a sweet way of showing you can just be yourself with others.

I am a huge fan of pugs and this was the CUTEST kids book. Really loved the message and the illustrations, Great moral about being true to who you are!

Thank you Carla Siravo, Indigo River Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. #ThePuglyDuckling #NetGalley

Loved reading this story! I was smiling throughout. What a lovely message and one that every child needs to hear. I am a big fan of the title of the book - so clever!
I used to work as a teaching assistant and this book would be an excellent read for an interactive and fun circle-time. Definitely a story that could be read multiple times without getting bored quickly.

This book was adorable! The message was cute, the language play was silly, and the rhymes were fun. The illustrations were beautiful and very colorful. We all know the story of The Ugly Duckling. This twist on the tale encourages you to love yourself, be true to who you are, and that those who love you will love you for you. Very fun to read out loud with littles!

This is an adorable undated take on the story of The Ugly Duckling with a cute pug puppy as the star. This is a great way to bring the story to a new genetation.
Many thanks to Indigo River Publishing and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Jean and Joe Duck were expecting a baby duck, but when their odd-shaped egg hatches, inside is a pug! He’s got a swirly tail, and big paws, and claws. The other ducks make fun of him and never let him be part of the group, but when he saves them from a fox, they see how wonderful he is, just as he is.

This cute little book teaches about the importance of being yourself and also realizing that others are wonderful just as themselves. Acceptance is an important lesson at any age, and little ones would do well to learn it early.

It’s freshly out, so if you’re looking for fun books to add to holiday storytime, grab it from your favorite indie bookseller or request through your library.

This was such a cute picture book! I loved the Ugly Duckling premise but with a dog. The art was beautiful and adorable. I can't wait to purchase this book and read it to my baby sister over and over again!

This is a funny and heartwarming children's book. I always think that self-acceptance is the most important thing for children to learn early in life. And I think this book will help them with its cute characters.

This was a sweet and fun book to read. Even my 18 month old stayed engaged through the whole book and loved the rhymes. The heart of the story about loving yourself comes across clearly and John the pug is so lovable. I already have a few kids in mind who will be getting this book for their next birthday.

Thank you to @netgalley, the publisher and author for gifting me this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.


A new, wonderful, pugly take on an old classic. Needles to say my 4-year old is glued to this book. And the second she saw it she wanted it - and since we have a pug she loves the book even more.

It is a nice way to teach the little ones how to be and love yourself.

Great work

The Pugly Duckling is a cute children’s book is about being yourself and not trying to fit it. The story is cute and the illustrations are great and bright.


Thank you Indigo River Publishing and NetGalley for The Pugly Duckling.

Oh. My. Gosh.

The title alone makes this book just ridiculously awesome, let alone the cool concept and even better story.

We meet these two ducks (Joe and Jean, in case you are wondering) and all they want is a baby ducky! But what ends up happening? THEY GET A PUG. He's wrinkly and fluffy and not what a goose is supposed to look like! But they still love him. He's just... a pugly duckling. This tale is absolutely adorable, especially since they accept their pug child for who he is. But then he comes up with a plan and decides to wear a duck costume (because that's obviously the best way to become a duck - dress like one).

This story will warm your heart and make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It's sweet and a great change of pace for the classic tale. It's super adorable and I absolutely love it!

Four out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Indigo River Publishing for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

The Pugly Duckling by Carla Siravo is a retelling on the well known classic, The Ugly Duckling. One large difference though, a pug dog hatches from the egg! The pug, John, experiences rejection from the other animals and his despair is readily apparent to even the youngest child. The message of resiliency and self worth are shared. You see the power of the importance of believing in yourself and embracing your unique gifts as the story continues. The illustrations are rich, colorful and engaging even for the youngest child but the message is more appropriate for a preschool or early elementary aged child. This will make an adorable addition to a well stocked library.

I was provided a free advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review from Net Galley. The opinions shared in this review are my own.

very cute little picture book about being yourself and knowing your own worth. Don't try to be someone you're not, you will just come off as phony. cute artwork :)

This is an adorable and unique retelling of the Ugly Duckling. It's, of course, predictable, but the illustrations and rhyming are so delightful that one can't help but want to go along for the ride! It'd be great for story times. Though, it would probably also be a good call to teach kids that puppies do not hatch from eggs, just in case.

What a lovely book with a great moral to it. Be true to yourself and appreciate your own special talents. Really well told with delightful illustrations.Only bit I wasn’t sure about was that children may now believe that pugs and born inside eggs like birds! Otherwise thoroughly recommended!
Thank you to Netgalley and Indigo River Publishing for allowing me to read an advance digital copy in return for an honest review.

This was such a fun book! I loved how the “ugly duckling” was a pug which is so cute. I really enjoyed this book and how it teaches you to just be yourself no matter what.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Pugly Duckling is a creative new take on the Ugly Duckling. Funny and heartwarming it will appeal to children and children at heart.

I initially picked this book because I'm a pug lover and I was not disappointed by this at all. This was a super cute story with a beautiful message! Stories for children to be true to themselves and to be happy with who they are, are very important and will always need to be told! The rhyming and word play were really well done and I loved how the story flowed. The illustrations aren't my favorite, but I'm honestly a little picky when it comes to artwork. All in all, a delightful picture book with a worthwhile lesson for kids!

"The Pugly Duckling" by Carla Siravo is a message-driven story for kids. The story shows how a puppy was born out of a duck's egg struggle to get his own identity. The book delivers its message properly. It shows our kids that instead of trying to mimic others, we should focus on our strengths.

The illustrations and at work is wonderful. The use of color combinations and cute artwork will attract kids to the book.

This book has a great message...just be yourself. A dog was trying to be a swan and in the end he saved the day by just being a dog. I read this to my young son..he really liked it. The illustrations were very colorful and vibrant. I would buy this book for any mom with young kids.

A sweet new take on "The Ugly Duckling" featuring John, the pug who just wants to be a beautiful swan -- until his pugliness is exactly what's needed to save the day. The illustrations are bright and eye-catching, and the rhyming text is fun and easy for read-aloud story time. Wonderful moral to the story about loving yourself as you are and being true. A book I will definitely be gifting to the children in my life. Thank you to NetGalley and Indigo River Publishing for providing me with an ARC in return for my honest review.

A sweet story with a lesson about being different, but being accepted, with colourful illustrations.

Read this to my three year old and he loved it, such a sweet book.
Was fun to read with lots of rhyming words, a story about accepting yourself no matter how different you are to others and learning to love your differences.

My daughter and I read The Pugly Duckling together. It was such a fun book with a very important message. John is different from his parents and his other friends, but he thinks he needs to be just like them. He finally realizes that being himself is the way to go.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #IndigoRiver Publishing for the #gifted copy of the book.

This is a delightful book that will tug at your emotions. Joe and Jean Duck yearn for a baby duckling.

"Every night, they wished and they hoped and they prayed for a fuzzy-wuzzy, cuddly-wuddly, darling baby duckling."

One very special night, one very special delivery arrives. It is an egg and it is ugly-wugly. None-the-less they are ecstatic over its arrival and they carefully nurture it until the egg cracks. What emerges is not quite what the endearing couple expects. Out springs a hairy paw, two flip-flop ears and a wrinkled snout... and the sound "WOOF!"

Joe and Jean are extremely surprised but they love the little guy so much and call him John. They believe that perhaps one day John will grow into a beautiful swan.

John wants so much to fit in with the other chicks but he is ridiculed and teased by the others. He is totally unaccepted. Then one day everything changes and John becomes the hero, the superhero supreme, revered highly by the other peeps around him. How did that happen?

This fun story is about being true to yourself and accepting your uniqueness as beautiful. This is a twisted tale of the classic story "The Ugly Duckling." John is adorable and you instantly fall in love with him. The book is inspiring and everyone ( both young and old ) enjoys a happily every after story. The illustrations are colourful, expressive and spot on enhancing the narrative. I highly recommend " The Pugly Duckling."

Cute and simple. This is a simple twist on the ugly duckling story in which the duckling is a dog. This is best for kiddos who like things absurd and enjoy rhyming stories.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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!

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.

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.

As someone who works with children, I just had to read this book to my class to hear their opinions. Children are the toughest critics and here is their review... They loved the book! It made them laugh, sad when John was sad, and mad when the other ducks were mean to the main pug. It was such an easy read and for all ages. I thought it would be too “kiddy” for my 3rd through 5th graders but they absolutely loved it!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting us read this amazing book in advance!

A cute book about the love of family no matter where you come from, or the differences you bring to the family. You are loved. Great for foster family’s or adopted children. Also good for teachers to read in larger cites where there is a lot of diversity.

This was a cute rhyming tale about John, an ugly pug(ly). It’s rhymes don’t quite rival the success of The Wonky Donkey’s, but it’s still a fun romp through language land. John’s parents were swans, so imagine their surprise when he hatched and looked quite different. Of course parents love their children no matter what and John’s parents loved him. The other ducklings teased and ostracized John until he was given a chance to prove that he was a good friend and he was needed just as he was.

Kids will enjoy the goofy improbability of this story. Boys, especially, will enjoy that story includes John lifting his leg to pee and ripping the seat of the mailman’s pants.

I received an arc copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

A sweet, gentle story with an adorable protagonist. My girls enjoyed this story and asked for it again. However, as a parent I wished there had been a solid choice between free verse or a repeating rhyming pattern; switching between the two made the story flow a little less and I think they were less engaged for it. That being said, we were rooting for John!

A cute new spin on the ugly duckling. I liked this because it showed no matter what you are who you are, be true to that and there will always be someone to accept you. Great for ECE classroom

The fuzzy-wuzzy, cuddly-wuddly darling is here... But it's not what the parent ducks Jean and Joe expected.

The wrinkly, brown, tall pug John was born. He was different, and it made him sad!

Even though everyone around him was supportive of him being what he truly is, a cute, little, huggable pug, he was still trying to fit in and be a swan.

The story sends a message: Always be yourself, don't be ashamed of who you are, accept yourself, flaws and all, and everyone will accept you. Pretending will get you nowhere!

''Dear John,'' they said, ''Just be you, If you love yourself, then others will too.''

Needles to say, the illustrations are beautiful, colourful, vibrant and silly!

Tear-evoking and inspiring, it's a beautiful classic tale, in brand new attire, perfect for the new generation.

An adorable take on the Ugly Duckling. Simple rhyming text and gorgeous illustrations make this a great book to add to any kids' collection.

This is a cute children's book about a little pug dog which comes out of an egg to be with a Mummy duck and
a Daddy duck. The ducks are surprised that a dog comes out of the egg, but they look after him and call him John. He is not accepted by the other ducks until he does something brave to help them. They then accept him and he teaches them how to be brave too. The book has lovely graphics and it is funny, which children will love.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and negalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Cute! A story of accepting yourself for who you are no matter what other people think or say. A pug is perfect for this example. They’re the sweetest creatures I’ve ever known. They love unconditionally and want to be with their humans and animal friends no matter what. Praise for pugs!

This is such a sweet story about the importance of being true to yourself. It’s funny and a little emotional, striking just the right balance. The artwork is bright and fun. Great bedtime reading!

I really enjoyed this book and thought that the story was brilliant!

It was well written and had some lovely illustrations and was a really fun read.

I read it with my three year old daughter and she loved it!

It is 5 stars from me for this one – very highly recommended!!

My grandchildren and I had high hopes for this book, as the Pugly Duckling looked so much like, Sherman, my daughters jug. We wanted to love this one, but it was just okay. First, my 8 year old grandson was upset that this dog hatched out of an egg. He knows that is not how they are born and he had a hard time enjoying the story because of that. Once that hurdle is over, we were able to just enjoy the story for what it was. Joe and Jean are ducks who really want a baby duckling, what they get is one Pugly Duckling, but they love and accept him anyway. He decides to wear a duck costume (actually a raincoat with a duck hood) so he will look more like a duck. The other animals are not happy that he is trying to be something he is not. He eventually realizes that you need to be yourself and be accepted for that. This has a warm, fuzzy message that my granddaughter really enjoyed. This is a retelling of the Ugly Duckling and I thought it was cute. The illustrations are absolutely adorable, cute, large and vibrant. The expressions on the pug are amazing. Learning about acceptance, being unique, being yourself and loving others no matter what are always great messages. I recommend this one, but for preschool or kindergarten students.

So cute and fun! A great book for families to enjoy together.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

This was the cutest story and I will for sure get a copy of this book. I love books that feature animals

This is literally the cutest children’s book I’ve read in a long time. It’s a twist on the tale of “The Ugly Duckling”, and instead it’s a pug with ducks as parents 😂

The ducks long for a little duckling to raise, but instead get John the Pug.
John just wants to be like the other ducklings, but they don't want to play with him, not because of his looks but because they know he's not a duck. John gets sad, goes home to his parents and they tell him to be himself and they will like him if he is just himself.

“We’re so glad you’re not a swan, you’re a dog and you’re the best dog, John!”

I loved the illustrations and will re read this again and again.

Jean and Joe Duck's egg recently hatched and it wasn't quite what they were expecting. Their baby was not quite duck and a little pugly. I loved this book that teaches children about diversity and how everyone in the same family can also seem different. That in the end, we are all one and the same. This book is also quite funny and enjoyable to read to your kids. Adults will definitely laugh along. I think I loved this book most of all because its a shared experience as a family.