Reviews
A wild mother duck lands in a pond outside a Tokyo office building, seemingly oblivious to the crowds of human observers, she raised her brood, then leads them across an eight-lane high-way to a roomier body of water-the great moat in the Emperor's Imperial Gardens. . . . Otani's neatly drawn, evenly lit watercolors capture the tale's simple charm in clean, roomy scenes smiling people in casual Western dress photographing-but never trying to feed or handle-the dappled, lively ducklings., This true story is reminiscent of Robert McCloskey's Make Way for Ducklings, but it's set in modern Japan. When a duck nested beside the pool of a downtown office building to raise her young, the citizens of Tokyo became intrigued. The smallest duckling, Chibi, became the favorite of many, including the photographer Sato-san. . . . The ducklings, depicted in watercolor and ink, have plenty of personality as they splash, dive, and learn to play follow the leader. The scenery is faithful to the city and its people. There is a one-page glossary of Japanese words used in the text. Teachers searching for curricular connections to Japan will be pleased by this offering, and it will appeal to animal lovers as well, perhaps even inspiring a visit to a local pond habitat., "A wild mother duck lands in a pond outside a Tokyo office building, seemingly oblivious to the crowds of human observers, she raised her brood, then leads them across an eight-lane high-way to a roomier body of water-the great moat in the Emperor's Imperial Gardens. . . . Otani's neatly drawn, evenly lit watercolors capture the tale's simple charm in clean, roomy scenes smiling people in casual Western dress photographing-but never trying to feed or handle-the dappled, lively ducklings." Kirkus Reviews "This true story is reminiscent of Robert McCloskey's Make Way for Ducklings, but it's set in modern Japan. When a duck nested beside the pool of a downtown office building to raise her young, the citizens of Tokyo became intrigued. The smallest duckling, Chibi, became the favorite of many, including the photographer Sato-san. . . . The ducklings, depicted in watercolor and ink, have plenty of personality as they splash, dive, and learn to play follow the leader. The scenery is faithful to the city and its people. There is a one-page glossary of Japanese words used in the text. Teachers searching for curricular connections to Japan will be pleased by this offering, and it will appeal to animal lovers as well, perhaps even inspiring a visit to a local pond habitat." School Library Journal, Starred, "A wild mother duck lands in a pond outside a Tokyo office building, seemingly oblivious to the crowds of human observers, she raised her brood, then leads them across an eight-lane high-way to a roomier body of water-the great moat in the Emperor's Imperial Gardens. . . . Otani's neatly drawn, evenly lit watercolors capture the tale's simple charm in clean, roomy scenes smiling people in casual Western dress photographing-but never trying to feed or handle-the dappled, lively ducklings." Kirkus Reviews "Teachers searching for curricular connections to Japan will be pleased by this offering, and it will appeal to animal lovers as well." School Library Journal, Starred
