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The Ugly Pony
The Ugly Pony tells the journey of an awkward pony galloping on bravely through bullies and hecklers.
When strange-looking pony Bella is born at a prize-winning stud yard, nobody wants to be her friend. She looks too different to fit in. Now, with the showing season looming and the prize-winning ponies heckling her, Bella must find her own inner beauty or risk getting bullied forever…
A beautiful retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic, The Ugly Duckling, with a touch of unicorn magic!
“A must-have for every children’s bookcase, it is literally impossible for any child not to fall in love with The Ugly Pony.”
“This is a new telling of a classic tale young readers will adore.”
When strange-looking pony Bella is born at a prize-winning stud yard, nobody wants to be her friend. She looks too different to fit in. Now, with the showing season looming and the prize-winning ponies heckling her, Bella must find her own inner beauty or risk getting bullied forever…
A beautiful retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic, The Ugly Duckling, with a touch of unicorn magic!
“A must-have for every children’s bookcase, it is literally impossible for any child not to fall in love with The Ugly Pony.”
“This is a new telling of a classic tale young readers will adore.”
52 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 4, 2020
718 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
Angharad Thompson Rees
45 books40 followersAngharad Thompson Rees is a poet, comic scriptwriter and author of fantasy and gothic books for children and young adults. Weaving strong imagery with poetical prose, Angharad's stories capture the imagination of young and old with her whimsical offerings.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
May 3, 2024
The Ugly What?
Bella is born to a show pony, but she looks nothing like her mother. She is called an ugly duckling by the other ponies who are lively and beautiful.
One day, tired of all the mean spirited jokes and jabs and nasty comments and horrendous name calling, Bella decides to run away.
During her travels, far away from her home, Bella undergoes changes. And yes, the story is like that popular story.
Four stars. ✨✨✨✨
Bella is born to a show pony, but she looks nothing like her mother. She is called an ugly duckling by the other ponies who are lively and beautiful.
One day, tired of all the mean spirited jokes and jabs and nasty comments and horrendous name calling, Bella decides to run away.
During her travels, far away from her home, Bella undergoes changes. And yes, the story is like that popular story.
Four stars. ✨✨✨✨
October 30, 2020
A few days ago, my router decided to have a brain fart. Stuck with only what was downloaded onto my computer for reading material, I decided to give this freebie a try. Let's just say that I was glad when I had access to the internet again.
Now, The Ugly Pony isn't terrible. It's a basic retelling of "The Ugly Duckling" but with ponies and unicorns taking the place of ducks and swans. Unfortunately, the creativity doesn't extend much further than that. The story unfolds in pretty much the same way as the original, but without the logic. At least I can understand how an egg might end up in the wrong nest. How does a pony end up giving birth to a unicorn (unless Bella's mother got frisky with a magical visitor)?
The illustrations are underwhelming. I get that this is an illustrated chapter book and not a picture book. But the black-and-white drawings didn't excite me at all. I think colour illustrations (similar to what's on the cover) would've made this a more appealing book, at least aesthetically. The writing itself has a few problems that an editor should've caught, and it's not all that engaging.
If I were to recommend this, I'd probably only recommend it to kids who haven't read too many versions of the original story before. When you're retelling a classic tale, you either need to have spectacular illustrations or you need to add a twist that makes people sit up and take notice. This book has neither, unfortunately, so I can't really recommend it.
Now, The Ugly Pony isn't terrible. It's a basic retelling of "The Ugly Duckling" but with ponies and unicorns taking the place of ducks and swans. Unfortunately, the creativity doesn't extend much further than that. The story unfolds in pretty much the same way as the original, but without the logic. At least I can understand how an egg might end up in the wrong nest. How does a pony end up giving birth to a unicorn (unless Bella's mother got frisky with a magical visitor)?
The illustrations are underwhelming. I get that this is an illustrated chapter book and not a picture book. But the black-and-white drawings didn't excite me at all. I think colour illustrations (similar to what's on the cover) would've made this a more appealing book, at least aesthetically. The writing itself has a few problems that an editor should've caught, and it's not all that engaging.
If I were to recommend this, I'd probably only recommend it to kids who haven't read too many versions of the original story before. When you're retelling a classic tale, you either need to have spectacular illustrations or you need to add a twist that makes people sit up and take notice. This book has neither, unfortunately, so I can't really recommend it.
March 26, 2018
This was one of those books that was offered as a free offer after having access to another of the author's books. One of the things that I like about Angharad Thompson Rees' books are the beautiful yet magical cover designs that seems to decorate each and every book I have seen. They are the type that although not quite realistic they hold enough of a surreal element to provide a magical taste to them.
The stories are quite short and would be a crowd-pleaser for those who enjoy horse and pony stories since of the main characters found within the story. In this particular one, "The Ugly Pony" is a basic re-telling of the story that has the very similar name although replacing the duck with the pony itself. As such the story isn't as creative as one can get and due to some of the elements of the descriptions the story was an easy give-away as towards what the end would turn out to be.
The author does keep to the lesson that is found within the original fable and so as a result the reader will get their moral on what it takes to know as well as recognize beauty in oneself. I do have to say the lesson given is a much deeper yet more recognized need message than the basic self-lesson from the original.
All in all it was a sweet and good little story but one that would be more attractive to younger readers rather than older ones who want just a bit more mystery and meat on the bones.
The stories are quite short and would be a crowd-pleaser for those who enjoy horse and pony stories since of the main characters found within the story. In this particular one, "The Ugly Pony" is a basic re-telling of the story that has the very similar name although replacing the duck with the pony itself. As such the story isn't as creative as one can get and due to some of the elements of the descriptions the story was an easy give-away as towards what the end would turn out to be.
The author does keep to the lesson that is found within the original fable and so as a result the reader will get their moral on what it takes to know as well as recognize beauty in oneself. I do have to say the lesson given is a much deeper yet more recognized need message than the basic self-lesson from the original.
All in all it was a sweet and good little story but one that would be more attractive to younger readers rather than older ones who want just a bit more mystery and meat on the bones.
July 11, 2023
Un libro corto ilustrado y con trama cute. Es ideal para niños de 4 a 7 años . Se lee rápido y el mensaje va directo al grano. Trata del bullying, la comparación con otros , de las diferencias y la aceptación de la
belleza de uno mismo.
No le di la calificación perfecta porque termina rápidamente y creo que hubiera sido interesante saber más de Bella, la unicornio.
belleza de uno mismo.
No le di la calificación perfecta porque termina rápidamente y creo que hubiera sido interesante saber más de Bella, la unicornio.
November 26, 2021
A horse version of the Ugly Duckling. Not bad, but not great. At times it is is a bit too heavy handed.
February 16, 2022
Cute story
January 2, 2018
This little book warmed my heart. The Ugly Pony, by Angharad Thompson Rees, is a modern rendition of The Ugly Duckling, written for International Children's Book Day. It reminds us that we are perfect, just the way we are. Rees, remembers feeling "less than" as a child, and hopes the story gives us the courage to love and nourish our inner selves.
It shows bullies for what they really are: children and adults who are so insecure, they believe the only way they can affirm their "goodness" is to make those around them, and those less fortunate, feel badly about themselves. Sound familiar? It reassures all of us, but especially children, that no matter what other say or do, we will soar if we are true to ourselves and our own uniqueness. Do you know anyone who could use this adorable little book?
I obtained this book from InstaFreebie. Unfortunately it is not available on Amazon, but you can get your own free copy at https://dl.bookfunnel.com/vb4oaptjc0
It shows bullies for what they really are: children and adults who are so insecure, they believe the only way they can affirm their "goodness" is to make those around them, and those less fortunate, feel badly about themselves. Sound familiar? It reassures all of us, but especially children, that no matter what other say or do, we will soar if we are true to ourselves and our own uniqueness. Do you know anyone who could use this adorable little book?
I obtained this book from InstaFreebie. Unfortunately it is not available on Amazon, but you can get your own free copy at https://dl.bookfunnel.com/vb4oaptjc0
January 11, 2023
Great book for bedtime stories!
My daughter has thoroughly enjoyed the book and she's been talking about it since. This is a great story about finding yourself and believing you are amazing just by being yourself. I strongly recommend this story for young people; especially those that need a bit of encouragement to come out of their shells and become who they are meant to be. This retelling of the story, "The Ugly Duckling", while paying homage to it in the text. Great job on this story! I am looking forward to reading another one to her tomorrow night.
My daughter has thoroughly enjoyed the book and she's been talking about it since. This is a great story about finding yourself and believing you are amazing just by being yourself. I strongly recommend this story for young people; especially those that need a bit of encouragement to come out of their shells and become who they are meant to be. This retelling of the story, "The Ugly Duckling", while paying homage to it in the text. Great job on this story! I am looking forward to reading another one to her tomorrow night.
June 11, 2020
Olivia really liked this book. We played popcorn while reading it. She loved the pictures too. She couldn't understand why the other pony's thought spicy a beautiful horse was ugly. Lots of discussion about how being different itself is beautiful. You don't have to, nor can you, change who you are to fit in.
August 26, 2023
Don't judge yourself based on what others think or say about you.
June 30, 2020
In the stable the mother horse looked down on her newborn foal Bella.
The horse in the next stall asked what is that?
The retired mare in the other stall couldn’t believe the daughter belonged to the prize-winning stock mother.
Bella (aka Ugly Duckling) began to grow.
1 day the squirrel even made a snide comment to/about Bella.
The seasons came/went not much change in Bella.
Later tired of the rude comments Bella ran away.
Out in the real-world Bella discovered everyone/everything looked different.
What did Bella find out when a squirrel took her into the forest?
I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.
An awesome book cover, great hand-drawn colored pictures & proper font & writing style. A very professionally written children’s (MS age) educational friendship storybook. It was quite easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters, settings, etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great children’s friendship movie, a classroom presentation, an animated cartoon, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is an extremely easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author(s); FreeBooksy; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
The horse in the next stall asked what is that?
The retired mare in the other stall couldn’t believe the daughter belonged to the prize-winning stock mother.
Bella (aka Ugly Duckling) began to grow.
1 day the squirrel even made a snide comment to/about Bella.
The seasons came/went not much change in Bella.
Later tired of the rude comments Bella ran away.
Out in the real-world Bella discovered everyone/everything looked different.
What did Bella find out when a squirrel took her into the forest?
I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.
An awesome book cover, great hand-drawn colored pictures & proper font & writing style. A very professionally written children’s (MS age) educational friendship storybook. It was quite easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters, settings, etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great children’s friendship movie, a classroom presentation, an animated cartoon, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is an extremely easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author(s); FreeBooksy; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
September 30, 2023
The Ugly Pony is full of "beautiful light and happy" pictures to quote a friends five year old daughter that I shared it with on my Kindle Fire when they came for a visit. She loved the stoy and we talked about when you feel different it is a good thing because we are all different in many ways.
I loved how easy it was to use the book to encourage vocabulary, positive attitudes and give a big smile to this little girl and have her ask her Dad to download it on her new Kindle when they went home.
I loved how easy it was to use the book to encourage vocabulary, positive attitudes and give a big smile to this little girl and have her ask her Dad to download it on her new Kindle when they went home.
November 12, 2021
Uplifting inspiring story retold
This story, like the ugly duckling, teaches us accept who we truly are--our beautiful selves. It teaches us to accept and therefore believe in ourselves rather than the sometimes hurtful words of others in the world. One person may think you are ugly, but another may call you beautiful. Never stop believing in yourself though and value your own worth.
This story, like the ugly duckling, teaches us accept who we truly are--our beautiful selves. It teaches us to accept and therefore believe in ourselves rather than the sometimes hurtful words of others in the world. One person may think you are ugly, but another may call you beautiful. Never stop believing in yourself though and value your own worth.
October 7, 2024
Ugly Duckling for Unicorn Lovers
This was such a sweet story, and I even found myself tearing up a few times while reading it to my daughter. Of course it's an eye of beholder type book but Bella also learns she's beautiful before she even gets the chance to meet another unicorn and it made me so happy to see her accept herself for all the flaws she thought she had.
If you have a child who gets bullied, they need to read this short book.
This was such a sweet story, and I even found myself tearing up a few times while reading it to my daughter. Of course it's an eye of beholder type book but Bella also learns she's beautiful before she even gets the chance to meet another unicorn and it made me so happy to see her accept herself for all the flaws she thought she had.
If you have a child who gets bullied, they need to read this short book.
October 9, 2024
This is a retelling of The Ugly Duckling. It is amazing how you views things as you experience life and mature. As I child I thought, how sad. As an older adult looking back on life, I felt sadness, awareness, and finally power at being comfortable in my own skin in spite of the experiences and words of others. Like with anything else, it is a process to get to this place and there is a power here.
January 19, 2025
Such a sweet story...
This retelling of the Ugly Duckling is done in a beautiful way. A lovely journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance. We see Bella, a shy awkward pony, tranform into the beautiful unicorn because another saw her worth. But seeing worth in another isn't enough. As Faith and the other woodland creatures pointed out, Bella is beautiful and worthy of self-love.
This retelling of the Ugly Duckling is done in a beautiful way. A lovely journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance. We see Bella, a shy awkward pony, tranform into the beautiful unicorn because another saw her worth. But seeing worth in another isn't enough. As Faith and the other woodland creatures pointed out, Bella is beautiful and worthy of self-love.
December 25, 2021
We are all beautiful in our own way.
This book has a great moral for everyone. The fact that we all are different in what we look like and what we are ment to do. We are all beautiful in our own way. We need to judge others with kindness even if they are different than us or what we think they should be.
This book has a great moral for everyone. The fact that we all are different in what we look like and what we are ment to do. We are all beautiful in our own way. We need to judge others with kindness even if they are different than us or what we think they should be.
October 1, 2024
My granddaughter loves this
My granddaughter loved this book, she is 7 and some words, but only a few were a little hard for her. We read it together ❤️. And it was perfect to read in an afternoon. SPOILER ALERT When Bella finely found a friend, it touched or hearts. We would highly recommend this book.
My granddaughter loved this book, she is 7 and some words, but only a few were a little hard for her. We read it together ❤️. And it was perfect to read in an afternoon. SPOILER ALERT When Bella finely found a friend, it touched or hearts. We would highly recommend this book.
May 28, 2021
The Ugly Pony by Angharad Thompson Rees – This was a freebie. FOA what a name on this lady! It’s an ugly duckling retelling with horses which no little girl is ever going to turn down! Its super cute! Happy Reading!
June 24, 2021
Ugly Duckling Resdo
This is a redo of the Ugly Duckling, except this is about a unicorn. The story is basically the same. The drawings are beautifully done, and the story is well written.
This is a redo of the Ugly Duckling, except this is about a unicorn. The story is basically the same. The drawings are beautifully done, and the story is well written.
October 13, 2021
The Ugly Pony This is not.not a great book for little girls to read and love. The girls should be from first grade to fourth grade in school
It’s message, you might think your ugly but once you realize you are not that you have always been beautiful.
It’s message, you might think your ugly but once you realize you are not that you have always been beautiful.
May 23, 2021
Good book
I like the book a lot but I would like it more of it were longer. Other than that it is a good book
I like the book a lot but I would like it more of it were longer. Other than that it is a good book
July 31, 2021
Cute book
Nice children's book, and has a fine moral for kids to read/learn. Definitely a good read as far as children's books.
Nice children's book, and has a fine moral for kids to read/learn. Definitely a good read as far as children's books.
November 12, 2021
Fantastic. This is a gem that is great for all ages. Makes you feel good about yourself. Beautiful drawings also. Read it to your kids and they will ask for it again and again.
February 20, 2022
This was a sweet little Ugly Duckling retelling! If I was a horse girl, I would like this even more I bet.
February 22, 2022
Fun book
A very fun childrens book about a special pony. It is delightful and has darling illustrations. Good moral to the story.
A very fun childrens book about a special pony. It is delightful and has darling illustrations. Good moral to the story.
July 23, 2022
A good children's book
A good children's book. I recommend it for ages 5 through 8. My grand children liked the story, the 1st and 2nd time.
A good children's book. I recommend it for ages 5 through 8. My grand children liked the story, the 1st and 2nd time.
April 18, 2024
This story is a take on The Ugly Duckling, but with ponies. It is a fun short read.
July 3, 2025
I love this book
I like when we follow Bella's heart
I also like when she noticed that she is a unicorn
She looks pretty
I like when we follow Bella's heart
I also like when she noticed that she is a unicorn
She looks pretty
May 16, 2020
This beginning chapter follows the theme of the ugly ducking. A pony is born in a thoroughbred stable. Named Bella by her mother, this pony is teased by all the only ponies. She is small and thin. Bella has a distinctive lump on her head.
When her fourth year arrives and it is time for the ponies to be broken and trained, Bella realizes she will never fill their qualifications. She decides to run off and in doing so discovers something wonderful that changes her life and self-image.
I would recommend the book as an early chapter book for new readers. The lessons Bella learns will inspire her young readers.
When her fourth year arrives and it is time for the ponies to be broken and trained, Bella realizes she will never fill their qualifications. She decides to run off and in doing so discovers something wonderful that changes her life and self-image.
I would recommend the book as an early chapter book for new readers. The lessons Bella learns will inspire her young readers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews