The Ugly Place
Age range 6 to 8
A child makes their way along the Arctic shoreline on a dark day. Everything around them seems as ugly as their mood until the child closes their eyes and breathes. What they once saw as an ugly landscape is now wonderful and vibrant.
From the author of In the Sky at Nighttime.
A child makes their way along the Arctic shoreline on a dark day. Everything around them seems as ugly as their mood, from the weather to the fish and mud. This is the place they come to whenever they feel ugly.
But as the child closes their eyes and listens, the sound of the waves reminds them to breathe. The tiny krill flick their tails, and the brightly coloured sea stars seem to glow. What they once saw as an ugly landscape is now wonderful and vibrant, and alive with music and beauty.
Building on concepts of social-emotional awareness, this book helps young readers see that they have the ability to control their own emotions.
Laura Deal lives in Iqaluit, Nunavut, and is originally from Musquodoboit, Nova Scotia. She enjoys writing and many other forms of creative arts. She believes it is important for children, like her daughter, to see their own stories reflected in the pages of Northern-based storybooks. Laura is the author of In the Sky at Nighttime, The Ugly Place, and How Nivi Got Her Names, which is also available as a short film.
Emma Pedersen is an illustrator from Toronto working in the publishing and animation industries. She graduated from OCADU with a major in drawing and painting. She is also a graduate of Sheridan's Illustration program. When not working (which is rare!) she enjoys visiting used book stores, planning her next trip abroad, and snuggling her dog when he'll actually sit still.
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