Wow! It's Great Being a Duck ~ Not Your Typical Mean Fox Story
Written: Jan 27 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Funny to read, Beautiful pictures, Kids enjoy it
Cons: None!
The Bottom Line: An adorable book that is so fun for everyone to read!
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| willeftk's Full Review: Wow! It's Great Being a Duck Books |
One of my favorite things to do with my kids is spend lots of time at our local public library. Books are an integral part of our lives and I prefer to borrow books instead of plunking down money for a book my kids may or may not read more than once. Borrowing books allows us to preview selections, and if one is a hit with them then I will consider making the purchase for our home library.
A few months back while browsing at the library, I picked up a picture book with a beautiful cover and the catchy title, “Wow! It’s Great Being a Duck” by author Joan Rankin. I had not heard of this particular author before, but the cute duck on the cover with its head partially covered by an egg looked too cute to pass up.
The first time I read this selection to my youngest (3 years old) it was obvious that it was a keeper. The story centers around a new hatchling named Lillee who ”…was the last born, the last to hatch and the smallest and skinniest…” of her siblings. We met Lillee as she was working very hard to hatch from her egg. Once she falls out of her egg and into the BIG WORLD she finds her mother and begins her charming and funny adventure.
Lillee is a darling little duckling, but her head is covered by the top of her egg and all the illustrations show is her little beak sticking out. This situation causes Lillee to only see part of her world.
Despite her “obstacle” Lillee enjoys being with her siblings, but refuses to learn to swim. She is certain that she will drown and instead chooses to learn to be the best walker that she can be, which isn’t easy for a duck. Her mother is very concerned because swimming will be her way to steer clear of ”Furry-Legs, Long-tail, Sharp-snout, Pink-tongue Fox whose only desire would be to gobble her up.
Sure enough, one day as Lillee is practicing her walking, she ventures into the dark, green forest. She meets another animal who she calls Mr. Furry-legs and this animal is seen from Lillee’s point of view which happens to be Furry legs beneath the eggshell. Lillee’s new “friend” is very interested in showing Lillee things to eat so that she can become a very big, fat duck.
As the weeks go by and Lillee gets older, her view gets better and better. Mr. Furry-legs, becomes Mr. Furry-legs-Long-tail and then Mr. Furry-legs-Long-tail-Sharp-snout. She really likes her new pal because he helps her to find all the best delicacies including nasturtium leaves, wild berries and snails. With the turn of each page, the reader sees Lillee growing bigger which causes more of her friend to be exposed to her.
Eventually, the day comes that Lillee discovers the horrible truth about her new friend which is belly laughing funny. As her eggshell pops off her head, a chase ensues and ultimately Lillee is able to take flight and escape the fox. She is able to fly over the hills and safely lands in the big pond with her brothers and sisters. Her sibs are amazed that Lillee not only has flown, but is also swimming with them. Her final statement to the reader is,”Wow! It’s Great Being a Duck!”
This book was a must-have purchase for my 3-year-old for Christmas. The pictures are beautiful watercolors and were created by the author. The book is fun for grown-ups to read because it is humorous and lively and children love the story. My son gets so excited when Lillee discovers that her pal is a fox and desperately runs from him.
The picture book is a bit long for younger preschoolers (30+ pages with lots of text), but if your child loves to read, it is likely that he/she will be able to sit through it. Our copy was purchased from buy.com for about $10.00, which is a great price for a hardcover book (LOVE buy.com, no shipping charge!). My son will pick this book out for reading almost every time and has yet to grow tired of it. He thinks that all ducks should be called Lillee now too.
If you are interested in this book, it is available in many bookstores and definitely online. I cannot recommend this one highly enough!
Other books by Joan Rankin:
The Little Cat and the Greedy Old Woman
Scaredy Cat
A Great Book Illustrated by Joan Rankin:
Mrs. McTats and her House Full of Cats
Wow! It’s Great Being a Duck
ISBN: 0-689-81756-8
Recommended:
Yes
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willeftk
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Member: Kelly
Location: Chaos Central
Reviews written: 171
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About Me:
Mother of 4 seeking quiet and solace...
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