THE UGLY DUCKLING

Set in handsome format with dramatic woodcuts enhanced with watercolors in muted hues, a ``retelling'' that frequently echoes the well-regarded Keigwin translation. The original's principal events and characters are intact and somewhat more accessible with the help of some succinct, energetic passages to boost comprehension (`` `He's enormous,' she thought. `Better go swimming tomorrow. Then we'll find out if he's a turkey.' ''). By phrasing the tale as verse, Mitchell gives it an open look that may nudge readers into perceiving Andersen's meditative cadence. Not essential, but not a travesty; the appeal of the elegant illustrations is a good match for a text which, even though abridged, preserves Andersen's inimitable flavor. (Picture book. 6-10)