Make Way for Ducklings

 

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

Today I will Fly!

1.  Bibliography

Willems, Mo. 2007. Today I will Fly!. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children.

ISBN 9781423102953

2.  Plot Summary

Elephant and Piggie have done it again!  Today I Will Fly! is a story where the negative and pessimistic Elephant Gerald tells the positive and optimistic Piggie she cannot fly.  This book is a basic conversation back and forth between the two main characters.  Piggie begins by telling Elephant she will fly and without skipping a beat he tells her multiple times in many different ways that she will not fly.  Inadvertently, Elephant gives Piggie advice to “get help”.  With help from a dog and a pelican, Piggie is able to fly -- sort of!

3.  Critical Analysis

Very few words in this book make it move along quickly but with no complaints.  The most important part of this story is the characters – animals are personified through speaking which adds an element that children can really connect with.  Elephant and Piggie both get their messages to the reader in just a few words per page. 

There are two themes in this story.  First, being strong-willed and never giving up on something that you believe you can do.  In this situation, we learn that Piggie may not have been ‘flying’ but she found a way to feel/look like she was flying.  Next, getting help can be a good thing.  It’s important for children to learn that they do not have to do everything on their own and help may be a good thing. 

The setting is minimal – plain white pages with very few details aside from the characters themselves.  The illustrations really focus on the characters and their words.  The only colors on the pages are on the characters and their caption bubbles. 

4.  Awards & Review Excerpts

Awards: Garden State Children’s Book Award

School Library Journal - “With just a few tweaks of his expressive lines, Willems creates engaging characters. The stories move briskly, with a minimal word count and touches of whimsy throughout.”

Publishers Weekly – “Willems treats each page (or spread) as one panel, so the action unfolds briskly against white backgrounds. He provides the emphatic dialogue in varying font sizes and keeps the design details simple but effective: Piggie's words appear in powdery rose-colored voice bubbles, Elephant's in pale blue-gray.”

5.  Connections

-Use the corresponding colors in the caption bubbles to interact during reading aloud with children.    Give each child a color/character to read with you.

-Read this in a series of other books about Piggie and Elephant by Mo Willems including I am invited to a Party!, My Friend is Sad, and I will Surprise my Friend!

A Sick Day for Amos McGee

1.  Bibliography

Stead, Philip. 2010. A Sick Day for Amos McGee. Ill by Erin Stead. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press. ISBN 9781596434028.

2.  Plot Summary

A loyal zookeeper named Amos McGee who is thoughtful & helpful with all of the animals at the zoo wakes up too sick to go into work one day.  He does activities each day with each animal including running races with a tortoise and helping a rhinoceros with his allergies! When he does not show up at the zoo, the animals come to check on him.  They reciprocate the good will he has shown them & help cheer him up.  When it’s time for bed, they all snuggle up tight before heading back to the zoo the next day. 

3.  Critical Analysis

The use of basic colors & repetitive phrases make this book enjoyable and appropriate for children.  Philip Stead has created a story that children can relate to in multiple situations when someone is unable to be there for them.  Stead uses anthropomorphism to give life to the animals by showing them playing games, reading books and even riding a train. 

The main theme in this story is importance of the thoughtful little things that you can do to show your care for those around you.  A child reading this will come away with the lesson that if you treat others loyally, they will do the same for you.  Amos treats his friends at the zoo with kindness and he receives kindness in return.    

Erin Stead creates a world that draws your focus into the main characters.  The details are so beautiful yet memorable.  Every character has a detailed and expressive face.  Each animal has his own shape and size which creates a variety of scenes for children.  Stead makes the animals look beautiful whether they are running, reading or all stuffed on a train together!

4.  Award & Review Excerpts

Awards and recognitions: Caldecott Medal, Best Illustrated Children’s book award, Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books, ALA Notable Books for Children and nominated for Charlotte Zolotow Award.

School Library Journal - “The artwork in this quiet tale of good deeds rewarded uses woodblocking-printing techniques, soft flat colors, & occasional bits of red.”

Booklist - “The extension of the familiar pet-bonding theme will have great appeal, especially in the final images of the wild creatures snuggled up with Amos in his cozy home.”

5.  Connections

-Use this book to treat a lesson of treating others how you would like to be treated.

-Also, use this to lead a discussion to reduce the fears of animals that children may have (probably most useful in a one-on-one lesson with a fearful child). 

-Invite children to make a list of things that they do with people in their lives that they would miss if they could not do them one day. 

-Other books about the zoo:

Redmond, E.S. 2010. Felicity Floo Visits the Zoo. ISBN: 9780763649753

Markarian, Margie. 2010. Who scoops elephant poo? : working at a zoo. ISBN: 9781410938480