Ugly just isn't like the other ducklings in the clutch. His neck is too long. He stays underwater for "too many" seconds. He keeps climbing onto Mother's back whenever he's afraid.

When all the other ducks of Dove Lake turn against him, Ugly's mother has no choice but to protect her family and leave her darling Ugly behind. Armed with only his natural curiosity and a few good pieces of advice, the ugly duckling must find his way home. Luckily, the friendship of a few wonderful animals in the Tasmanian outback-a boxing wallaby, two brave geese, a maternal wombat, and a spunky possum-makes his journey a lot easier. But what exactly is Ugly trying to find?

By setting this story in Tasmania, Donna Jo Napoli turns expectations on their heads and gives readers a fresh look at this classic tale of finding one's identity.