I'm a Duck
by EVE BUNTING & WILL HILLENBRAND
CANDLEWICK PRESS (March 13, 2018)
PRESCHOOL-GRADE 2
One day, an egg rolled out of a nest and right into a deep pond. Now that egg is a little duck, and the water is still very scary. Jumping into the pond at all seems impossible, never mind swimming in a line with all his brothers. “You’re a duck, and ducks don’t sink,” Big Frog points out. Practicing in a puddle helps a little, while backrubs and snacks from his mother help a little more. Big Frog offers to hold his friend’s wing and dive in together, but our little duck knows that some challenges need to be faced alone. Even when they are very scary!
Reviews
Bunting’s singsong rhymes don’t skip a beat as the duck’s trepidation turns into triumph. Hillenbrand is just as successful at capturing the duck’s growing confidence...It’s an endearing allegorical tale whose messages about practice and taking things at one’s own speed will buoy the spirits of children facing new challenges.—Publishers Weekly
Each picture, regardless of the time of day, creates a sense of calm even in the noisier moments. Each choice by Will Hillenbrand, the color palette, the elements in each image, his use of materials and his lines and details contributes to enhancing the words of Eve Bunting.—Librarian's Quest
Told with a storyteller’s flair, the unpretentious but precisely worded tale flows along steadily, easy to read aloud and pleasing in its expression of feelings familiar to young children. The delicate mixed-media illustrations, created with muted colors and understated patterns, perfectly capture the duckling’s fear, tentative attempts to overcome it, and final triumph. A beguiling picture book.—Booklist
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