The Ugly Five Paperback – 14 Jun. 2018

‘Inspired by the real-life 𝑼𝙜𝒍𝙮 𝙁𝒊𝙫𝒆 safari animals’, in order of appearance in this rhyming story by Julia Donaldson:~ the wildebeest~ the spotted hyena~ the lappet-faced vulture~ the warthog~ the marabou stork📝 ‘This picture book rhyme is a celebration of animals who are often unloved but nevertheless play an important role on the African plain.’Moving up from 1 to 5, with little ‘songs’ that define their individual claim to be ‘the ugliest’, the accompanying artwork is unmistakably Axel Scheffler ~ those facial expressions catching the eye!‼️N.B. By nature, there is some 'crunching on bones' on a couple of pages! The current stock images above refer.From the back cover (image below refers):~ ‘Meet the ugliest animals on the savannah.They’re gangly, warty, bumpy, bristly, spotty, stinky, and totally irresistible!We’re the 𝐮𝐠𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞, we’re the ugly five.Everyone 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐬 when they see us 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞.’Book with CDooOooPoking out from the others on our bookshelf, the wider-than-average paperback measures roughly 30 cm x 23 cm; the card cover enhanced by a shiny gold foil enhancement to the front that glistens in the change of light.Inside are 32 good quality, matte-finish pages; the rhyme running over 28 in double-page spread format.The text is clear in black on white throughout, on the left-hand page; the picture being on the right-hand one, each with that ‘the more you look; the more you see’...until we get to the last double-page spread, which brings in a change of background colour + a neat twist in the ‘song’.The final 2 pages offer the chance to ponder a while ~ ‘learning without realising’.Chunkier words include:~ ambled~ trampling~ ungainly~ ugliest~ crunching~ hideous~ appalled~ revolting~ splashing~ tempted~ deafening~ gruesome~ perfectly~ casting~ peeping~ bombshellsFirst published 2017, the 2018 paperback I received on my order has a sticker on the front (not keen on this idea). Some patience is required, but it did eventually remove without trace.

Lovely book and quality. lovely images, ideal for helping kids with their African homework

Strong bookGreat detailLovely pictures

Another great book from the collection. I felt a little sad reading it but keep going until the end!

This is an interesting book whose main premise is that we're all different, and although we may look ugly on the outside, not everyone sees us as ugly because of the kind things we do, and how we're all nice underneath. It's a nice tale for the kiddies, and involves a lot of reader participation in singing the verses on each page (you have to make up the melody, which is kinda hard).The kids enjoy it, and they get the message straight away.

The Ugly Five arrived at a house full of high expectations from my own children who will, forever more, be know as “the ugly five”. The Julia Donaldson Axel Scheffler partnership has given our family hours of pleasure with my own favourites Stick Man, Zog, Tiddler, The Snail & The Whale and the wonderful Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book. There are many many more and this new book, The Ugly Five will have been eagerly anticipated by families and book worms all over the globe. They will not be disappointed.The story is delightful. It carries you along with it’s easy rhymes and charming characters, turning page after page to find what the author has in mind for her cast of ugly heroes. There is rhythmic repetition which smaller children can join in once they know what to expect and with ‘invisible counting’ and just enough word changes in the ‘chorus’, younger readers will have to stay alert and not recite parrot fashion. Incredibly, in just fifteen pages, Julia Donaldson has also managed to squeeze in an educational benefit, teaching readers about some unusual wildlife and their habits, as well as a ‘message’ about looks that parents, teachers and carers will certainly enjoy on the last two pages.Axel Scheffler’s beautiful illustrations are detailed and gentle as always. One young reader described them as ‘realistic in a not realistic kind of way’. I couldn’t agree more. He has obviously had fun with The Ugly Five as well as the opportunity to showcase his immense skills in a compendium featuring the Big Five the Little Five and the Shy Five at the back of the book. I cannot recommend The Ugly Five highly enough.

Great book amazing author.

Nice sturdy book for little ones! Got it for our great-great niece.