For Dylan, Sam and Alex N.B. For my Mum and Dad, who have always supported me while letting me think I was doing it all by myself. N.O.
Y R E V N E OP First published in 2013 by Nosy Crow Ltd The Crow’s Nest, 10a Lant Street, London SE1 1QR www.nosycrow.com ISBN 978 0 85763 047 6 (HB) ISBN 978 0 85763 084 1 (PB) Nosy Crow and associated logos are trademarks and /or registered trademarks of Nosy Crow Ltd. Text Copyright © Nosy Crow 2013 Illustrations copyright © Nicola O’Byrne 2013 The right of Nicola O’Byrne to be identified as the illustrator of this work has been asserted. All rights reserved This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of Nosy Crow Ltd. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Printed in China 1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2 (HB) 1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2 (PB)
The Ugly Duckling LY
L U F E R A C Hans Christen Andersen
N ic ola O ’ B yr ne y W it h w o rd s b y N ic k B r o m le
O nce upon a time, there was a mother duck with three pretty ducklings and one . . .
! e t u n i m Wait a W h at ’s t h at ?
e h t u o y d a e r o t g I’m tryin , g n i l k c u D y l g U e story of Th n i g n i h t e m o s s ’ e r but the t ’ n d l u o h s t a h t t h i s b oo k be here!
! n o Hang it
s ’ e r e Wh ? w o n gone
Pe rh e s ap s ca p e it’s d?
e b t i d l Or c ou hiding?
Do you
d are to k e e
p l ooking?
You d o ? T h e n l e t ’s t u r n the page
v e r y,
very carefully . . .
It’s a . . .
. . . crocodile !
A really big scary one! W h a t ’s h e d o i n g i n t h i s b oo k ?
He might bite y o u r f i n g e r. O r scratch y our nose! s e l i d o c o r c I ’ v e h e a rd . t a h t o d o l i ke t Stay back . . . e s a c n just i