1. Bibliography
McCloskey, Robert. 1941. Make Way for Ducklings. New York, NY: The Viking Press. ISBN 0140564349.
2. Plot Summary
Mr. and Mrs. Mallard are concerned parents working hard to find the perfect home for their children. After flying through many locations they land at a pond in the Public Garden in Boston, MA. Just as they think that they finally find a great location with people to feed them and a pond to swim in and raise their ducklings they are discouraged by a young bicyclist who zooms by. Startled, Mrs. Mallard says they must find someone else to hatch their babies. Next, the Mallards fly by many Boston sites and finally decide to make a nest to hatch the ducklings along the Charles River. After the ducklings are hatched, Mr. Mallard takes a trip back to the pond in Public Garden and Mrs. Mallard promises to raise the ducklings until they were ready to meet Mr. Mallard at the pond. They run into a few trials and tribulations along the way but eventually reunite with their father and the family decides to live there.
3. Critical Analysis
Mr. and Mrs. Mallard are characters in the story that represent the concern and dedication that ducks (and parents) have for their young. The recurring theme is that there are things to look out for in the world that we all need to look out for -- bicyclists, cars and other people. But in the 1940s, you did not have to fight these challenges alone. Police and parents can both be helpful in fighting the fears we face in the world which is still true in many cases today, as well.
The challenges that the ducks face create suspense for the reader during this story. When Mrs. Mallard heads out with her baby ducklings for the first time, the reader wants to keep reading to find out 1. where the ducks are going and 2. if they will make it there okay!
The beautiful illustrations and heartfelt story create a classic that will be read repeatedly over the next few decades, just as it has during the past few decades. Although this is the case, over time the readers may start to recognize the sexism when Mr. Mallard leaves Mrs. Mallard alone with all 8 ducklings alone because she “know[s] all about bringing up children”.
The descriptions and illustrations in this book are very accurate to the locations in Boston, MA. that they are describing. The drawings are beautiful and detailed even without color. Shadows are the most important in the small details of the illustrations throughout the book.
4. Awards & Review Excerpts
Awards: Caledcott Medal
The Horn Book Magazine - “Make Way for Ducklings has a lot of things I would want a child in 2101 to know about my world. It's an urban story with rural elements; it's a people story with animal elements. It's a comforting story about being safe under your mother's wing (pun intended, I suppose) while not for a moment minimizing the dangerous elements of life on the street.”
5. Connections
- During a read aloud session have the children count the ducklings on each page to make sure they are all with Mrs. Mallard.
- Other books where ducks are the main characters:
Davis, Nicola. 2012. Just ducks!. Candlewick Press.
ISBN 9780763659363
Abrahams, Peter. 2011. Quacky baseball. Ill. by Frank Morrison. HarperCollins Children’s Books. ISBN 9780061229787
