Why re-invent the wheel. The Horn review says it so precisely and beautifully. I am publishing their review on the book because it is brilliant.
When a duck returns to her frozen pond too early in the season, a friendly bear tells her to go “back back back.” But this forward-thinking little duck, her feet stuck to the ice, thinks, thinks, thinks—of spring, of “wiggly worms and shiny beetles,” of pink flowers and “squishy mud.” And before she knows it, her warm thoughts are filling the sky, welcoming other ducks, and spreading springtime all over. Peters’s poetic text is displayed in a large-sized, heavy, black typeface, which invites letter and word recognition and demands as much listener attention as the cheerful story and illustrations. Contrasting with the bold type of the main text are the colorful and playful typefaces used for the three-word rhythmic refrains that follow the text on each page or double-page spread (e.g., “flock flock flock” is set to mirror an illustration of a V of ducks overhead). Subsequent readings will encourage enthusiastic participation as the repeated words become more familiar. The text is well served by Williams’s expressive pencil and watercolor paintings. Quick, deftly sketched lines and subtle shadings of springtime colors suggest the emergent landscape and shifting mood. Williams’s little duck, while true to her waterfowl nature, is full of character and toddlerlike exuberance. Story, art, and design work together well, and there’s plenty here to engage duck-loving preschoolers preparing to dive into words and reading.
Copyright © 2000 The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.
Adorable little book that needs to be read aloud and encourages you and your kids to read on.
No comments:
Post a Comment