The True Ugly Duckling: How Hans Christian Andersen Became a Swan was written by Christopher Award-winning author Sandra Nickel in fairy tale form and illustrated by artist Calvin Nicholls with cut-paper sculptures. Both of their approaches were inspired by Andersen, whose fairy tales are now read in 160 languages and whose paper cut-outs can be found in museums around the world. We asked Nickel and Nicholls to discuss their personal connections to Andersen and how they each found the right creative method to tell his story in a picture book biography.

Sandra Nickel: Hi, Calvin! After not a single word shared while making our book, it’s a delight to sit down with you and chat. I must admit, I’m curious: what was your reaction when Arthur Levine asked you to illustrate The True Ugly Duckling?

Calvin Nicholls: It was quite astonishing for me to learn about Andersen’s paper cutting. That fact had eluded me all these years. Imagine, we actually had this art interest in common. And I was being asked to make a picture book—my first—about him! I knew it might be the most difficult project I ever tackled and had many doubts, but it simply had to happen. Saying yes opened the door to an epic collaboration between you and me and one of the most enigmatic creative minds of all time.

Nickel: I felt the same way about writing the story. Once I learned that Andersen was likely on the autism spectrum like me—and that Andersen said he was the original ugly duckling—I felt that I had to write this story. After all, so many neurodiverse children struggle with feeling like an outsider. I felt a strong push to show children that they aren’t alone, that a great storyteller went through similar struggles. And he made it. He even became his own version of a swan.

Nicholls: We definitely shared that same “push” as it turns out. My connection to his paper art was very personal. I marvel at how you crafted such a heartfelt story.

Nickel: Thank you so much, Calvin. I thought hard about how I wanted to tell Andersen’s story. I didn’t want children to simply read it as the facts of his life, although it is certainly that. I wanted the story to be a portal to deeper understanding. That’s why I chose to structure it as a fairy tale. Tales have a way of going straight to the heart.

Let me add, your work in The True Ugly Duckling is extraordinary. As you worked with the same tools Andersen used, did you ever feel that he was sitting alongside you?

Nicholls: It was certainly humbling to be paying homage to such a literary giant through our shared fascination of paper art. That remains a most unexpected twist and a supreme honor I will always treasure. Maybe he was in the room; he certainly was in my mind. And because of that, I was determined to remind readers of the role his paper art played in his creative and coping strategies.

Nickel: Were you directly inspired by any of his paper cut-outs?

Nicholls: Oh, absolutely! There are dozens of examples online and many are still on display in Denmark. I really wanted to find a way to celebrate his paper-cutting genius. The example of him cutting a castle with dancers for the girl who had the dream was loosely based on one of his actual designs and method. I imagined him calming his mind through this distraction—a most unusual strategy.

Nickel: It’s one of the reasons that I love the choice of paper art as illustrations so much. Yes, Andersen was accomplished with scissors. But the act of cutting shapes was also soothing and joy-making for him. In fact, someone who was present at one of his storytellings said that she thought he enjoyed his paper-cutting more than telling the story itself. Of course he did! He had already created the story, so he was rejoicing in the process of a new creation—the cut-out!

I think we have time for one last question. Tell me, what is your hope for our book?

Nicholls: As difficult a journey as it can be to pursue your passion, I would hope this book identifies the possibility of reward for those who persevere. The first step: act on inspiration. Say it out loud. Write it down. Sketch it. Build a model. Chat about your ideas with someone you love. But always act on your inspirations.

And what about you, Sandra? What is your hope?

Nicholls: My greatest hope is that children who are struggling with being different will find this story, and that by reading it, they will see that their originality is their strongest gift. I hope they’ll begin to grasp that being different isn’t a disadvantage. It is actually their path for finding their way through this big, beautiful, complicated world of ours.

The True Ugly Duckling: How Hans Christian Andersen Became a Swan by Sandra Nickel, illus. by Calvin Nicholls. Levine Querido, $18.99 Mar. 3 ISBN 978-1-64614-576-8