Reviews
"Carpenter's warm, retro spreads salute McCloskey in what might turn out to be this generation's duckling rescue story. Seeing public officials put civic machinery to work to save baby animals is every bit as charming today as it was 70 years ago. "Help!" cries a woman who sees five pint-size ducklings follow their mother across a storm drain and disappear through the grate one by one. "Call the fire department!" Carpenter (Heroes of the Surf) supplies a ducklings'-eye view of their wait in the darkness as curious faces stare down at them. The firefighters can't budge the drain cover, but a truck driver named Perry drags it off so they can free "Pippin, Bippin, Tippin, Dippin... and last of all, Little Joe," who await their mother in a handy bucket of water. The rescue depicted actually took place on Long Island in 2000; Moore enlivens the account with engaging narrative devices, repeating the duckling's rhyming names and punctuating the story with "Oh, dear! That could have been the end of the story. But it wasn't." It's worthy of its predecessor, and a welcome sequel of sorts." - Publishers Weekly starred review, Praise for Lucky Ducklings"An unabashedly adorable caper, this crowd-pleaser already feels like a classic." --The New York Times Book Review*"This generation's duckling rescue story." --Publishers Weekly, starred review*"Writer and artist have conspired to give children a sure-to-be classic that they're sure to love." --School Library Journal, starred review"This book impresses all on its own with its fine design, compelling story, expressive images and gentle environmental message." --Kirkus"Moore's expert use of pattern and repetition as she names each of the ducklings . . . is nicely echoed in individual illustrated vignettes and will make this a good choice for reading aloud." --Horn Book, Praise for Lucky Ducklings *"This generation's duckling rescue story." - Publishers Weekly , starred review *"Writer and artist have conspired to give children a sure-to-be classic that they're sure to love." - School Library Journal , starred review *"Moore's story is simply but dramatically told . . . The satisfying storyline of a mother and babies separated and reunited is one to which many young children will easily relate, and the ducks themselves have enormous visual appeal." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "This book impresses all on its own with its fine design, compelling story, expressive images and gentle environmental message." - Kirkus "Moore's expert use of pattern and repetition as she names each of the ducklings . . . is nicely echoed in individual illustrated vignettes and will make this a good choice for reading aloud." - Horn Book, Praise for Lucky Ducklings "An unabashedly adorable caper, this crowd-pleaser already feels like a classic." -- The New York Times Book Review *"This generation's duckling rescue story." -- Publishers Weekly , starred review *"Writer and artist have conspired to give children a sure-to-be classic that they're sure to love." -- School Library Journal , starred review "This book impresses all on its own with its fine design, compelling story, expressive images and gentle environmental message." -- Kirkus "Moore's expert use of pattern and repetition as she names each of the ducklings . . . is nicely echoed in individual illustrated vignettes and will make this a good choice for reading aloud." -- Horn Book, Praise for Lucky Ducklings "An unabashedly adorable caper, this crowd-pleaser already feels like a classic." - The New York Times Book Review *"This generation's duckling rescue story." - Publishers Weekly , starred review *"Writer and artist have conspired to give children a sure-to-be classic that they're sure to love." - School Library Journal , starred review "This book impresses all on its own with its fine design, compelling story, expressive images and gentle environmental message." - Kirkus "Moore's expert use of pattern and repetition as she names each of the ducklings . . . is nicely echoed in individual illustrated vignettes and will make this a good choice for reading aloud." - Horn Book, Starred Review, School Library Journal This stunning book depicts an incident that took place in Montauk, Long Island (NY). Mama Duckling swims to shore one day, followed by her five offspring: Pippin, Bippin, Tippin, Dippin, and Little Joe. (Guess who's the one who lags behind to watch a butterfly or check out a big red berry.) The homey village seems like a fine place for a walkbut for diminutive ducklings, there are unforeseen hazards. Luckily, there are also watchful, resourceful villagers to rescue the little creatures when they all fall through a storm drain in the street. The language is melodic: "The Duck family lived in a pretty pond in a green, green park, in a sunlit little town at the end of a long, long island." It's dramatic: "Mama Duck came running after him. 'Whack! Whack! Whack!' she cried. 'Bring my babies back!'" It's comically suspenseful: "Oh, dear! That could have been the end of the story. But it wasn't, because…." Carpenter, a gifted and powerfully versatile illustrator, fills the book with beauty, humor, and a delicious variety of perspectives. Her style here has a sweet old-fashioned spirita touch of Robert McCloskey, but more visually arresting. Writer and artist have conspired to give children a sure-to-be classic that they're sure to love. Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY