I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute idea but didn't quite meet the mark. First, the title. So problematic. I know all parents are going to shake their head over this. The story just doesn't flow as well as it should. The duck character is cute but it's not enough to save the story.

I love Ella. Doing her own thing and never letting anyone take her sparkle from her. She is such a sweet character. The story is really empowering for kids to tell them to be themselves.

This is a great story about everyone being different and liking different things - and that's okay. Fitting in is hard, so you have to teach others around you that it's okay to be different and still be friends.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I loved this picture book about Ella who is different than her siblings and she just loves to sing.

Ella the duckling was born into a posh duck family. She didn't really fit in, she wasn't proper, she wanted to sing and sing loudly. After being made to feel bad and wanting to find someone to sing with her, she wondered off looking for a friend. She finds a friend who wants to make music as much as she does and boy are they swinging. When they head back to Ella's home, the rest of her family come to agree that music is fun and they enjoy it. A simple story with a couple of messages, one of acceptance of others and one of being true to yourself. My 3 year old granddaughter just thought it was a silly story, the 6 year old got more out of it. As the person reading the story, I will say some of the text was hard to read for these old eyes. It was small and the backgrounds it was on were sometimes dark. The story was cute and both kids enjoyed it as well as the colourful and vivid illustrations. Overall a cute story, but not one they wanted to hear again. I recommend this one to libraries and schools.

This one was charming and totally cute. The illustrations are pleasing and the story done nicely. Little children will love to have it on their bedside shelves.

Cute story with really gorgeous illustrations. Ella the duck doesn't fit in with her stuffy family very well because of her taste in music, and goes searching for someone she can be herself with. She finally meets Dizzy the swan, and together they make a jazzy sound. While some of the vocabulary might be a little much for the intended audience, the message, about the difficulties of fitting in and finding friends who appreciate you, is a good one.

#EllatheSwingingDuck #NetGalley

Such a cute story. The illustrations were vibrant and the story was adorable. This would definitely be one that I would add to our collection.

I never thought I’d see the day that I disliked a children’s book but we’ve reached that day. The art was extremely cute but I just couldn’t get into this book. It just didn’t grab my attention.

This heartwarming book has Dutch/Belgian roots. Little Ella is born to aristocratic parents, Mildred and Maury. Their nest is impeccable. They eat duck weed with a knife and fork and clean their bills with napkins. Everything in their world is decent and in order until little Ella is born. Her siblings emerge and fit right into their parent's lifestyle but Ella is different. She marches to her own drumbeat. She is a non-conformist who sings incessantly. She waddles along singing her own silly songs... unplugged.

Her brothers and sisters tease and mock her leaving Ella feeling sad and lonely. She desperately wants to be with someone who will sing and swing with her. One day she sets out on a journey alone to do just that.

Ella is rejected by a dove who only does solos and a frog choir who doesn't want any more members. Oh dear. Ella is ready to give up when out of the reeds comes her ""song-spirit". A young swan steps forward and makes her aquaintance. His name is Dizzy.

"Everybody teases me because I like to blast my bill." "I like your blast!" responds Ella, and instantly a new musical duo and friendship is reality. Together they shake up the woodland critters (her family included) and have them all shaking their booties to their fabulous tunes.


The illustrations are such fun and kids will love them. The book is a celebration of music and being you. The names of the characters throughout the story are a tribute to past great music makers. I highly recommend this book.

Requested 'Ella the Swinging Duck' by Suzan Overmeer to read to my 4 year old brother.

What a cute book! I read this to my brother while he was eating dinner, and he thoroughly enjoyed it. I asked if he likes it or REALLY likes it, and he chose the latter! I do have an issue with some of the larger, uncommon words like 'distiguished' for example. My brother didn't understand what those meant, and I had to tell him not to worry about it. I think this book would be better for a 5+ age group due to some vocabulary, but the general plot is great and my brother thought the duck's names were hilarious.

4.5 / 5

The pictures in Ella the Swinging duck are engaging and entertaining. My little music maker liked the swan. I think what she means is that she is happy that the duck found a friend. In a cute setting, Ella goes on a journey which most of us do, of finding self away from home and bringing that discovery back where we started.

I requested and received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley and Clavis Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book. I like that Mildred and Maury are stuffy, boring Mallards that name all their children after composers except for Ella. Ella just like her namesake has a penchant for jazz and her singing seems to annoy her whole family. Ella goes in search of a friend who gets her and finds Dizzy, together they create music and bring the whole pond together. I like the illustrations and you could have a lot of fun creating your own jazz music with children while reading this book.

#EllatheSwingingDuck #NetGalley

If my power animal was a duck, I cannot imagine a more perfect representation than Ella! What a joyous book! Not only were the illustrations were vibrant and whimsical, I loved the story as well!

Ella wanders away from home one day after feeling like an outcast in her family. All she wants to do is find someone else to sing with! After a few unsuccessful attempts at connecting with other music makers, Ella finds a friend in a young swan named Dizzy. Together, they make wonderful music that brings joy to others around them.

This story was heartwarming, and carried a wonderful message that it is more than okay to be different, and that you will ultimately find your match out in the world.

The illustrations are nice and colorful, but the story was just okay. Ella is a duck who loves to play and sing, but is an outcast in her prim and proper family. She goes in search of someone like her to play with and ultimately begins to sing and swing with a goose. The other animals and her family learn to appreciate the talents that Ella has. The overall premise of the story is nice, but text seems a bit convoluted at times, forced, and bland. I would recommend this for children about 2-4 years old.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clavis Publishing for providing an ARC of this book.

What a lovely tale of friendship, music, and differences! I loved the illustrations, such beautiful use of colours. As for the tale and it's message, it is definitely something good and sweet. Ella does not feel like she belongs with her family, because she's different and goes on to find others to sing with. It is not easy, but shows how finding a right person to be your friend can make everything better. A lovely, lovely tale, definitely recommend.

Yes, with what might perhaps be one of the more daringly misguided titles for kids books about, we see what is actually a wonderful and charming tale. Ella is not like any of her siblings – pointedly and classily named after classical composers. She sings her own songs, and enjoys her own noise. So the swinging here is not the kind we initially thought, but jazzy individuality, and this is a really nice advert for it. With barely a paragraph a spread, and the most pleasant illustrations, this is well worth a look. Four and a half stars, perhaps, then, for this kinda-revamped Ugly Duckling.

Ella is different from her brothers and sisters and begins to search for someone like her. When she finds a new friend who likes the same music she does she feels like she finally belongs. My granddaughter enjoyed the story and said she would be Ella's friend because no one should be sad. The story was sweet and the illustrations very well done.
Thanks you to NetGalley, Clavis Publishing and Suzan Overmeer for a copy of this book for review.

I'm not sure about this one. It has some cute elements, but I don't love the story.

Ella is born to Mildred and Maury who, for some reason, name all of their ducklings after classical musicians or composers. Well, all except for Ella, who turns out to be rather loud. She just wants to sing, but nobody in her family likes it. So she goes in search of others who "get" her. But she doesn't have much luck... until she meets someone who's willing to sing with her. Then she goes home, her siblings suddenly like her singing, and everyone lives happily ever after.

I think what's bothering me about this one is that Ella doesn't actually solve her problem. Her problem is solved for her through chance and the author kind of forcing a happy ending. If she hadn't met Dizzy (named after Dizzy Gillespie, I'm guessing), how would the story have ended? Ella still would've been ostracized by the other animals and her family. So... I guess I'm struggling to see how the resolution is inspiring or instructive.

What I do like about this book are the names of the characters. I also like the little ladybug that's somewhere on every spread. The pictures are passably cute. I just wish they'd gone along with a stronger story, perhaps one in which Ella actually affects the outcome.

The youngest duckling is different from her family. After being teased, she set of to find a friend who will sing with her. After finding said companion, she returns to her family.

Liked the message that this children's book is focused on. However, the copy that I read from was missing some words and I couldn't really enjoy the book as much. I did enjoy the illustrations and feel that the finished copy would be a wonderful read for children.

*Thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.*