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152nd out of 1,730 books
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The Story about Ping
Ping was an adventurous duck who lived on a beautiful wise-eyed boat on the Yangtze River. He liked his life on the riverboat just and liked his large family and his kind master. He didn't like to be the last in line to board the boat at night, for that unlucky duck got a loud spank. So what did Ping do when it seemed that he would be the last on line? What else but set ou...more
Mass Market Paperbound, 32 pages
Published
August 28th 2000
by Grosset & Dunlap
(first published 1933)
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Since this is a children's book review, I ought to warn you:
Okay, so this book is FUCKED up. It's about a cute little duck who lives somewhere in China, and he's one of the many ducks that lives on some kinda boat, and every day he's supposed to get back on the boat at the end of his time hanging out in the water. And, every day, the last duck on the boat gets hit on the butt by the human who is in charge of the bo...more
Okay, so this book is FUCKED up. It's about a cute little duck who lives somewhere in China, and he's one of the many ducks that lives on some kinda boat, and every day he's supposed to get back on the boat at the end of his time hanging out in the water. And, every day, the last duck on the boat gets hit on the butt by the human who is in charge of the bo...more
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Uh, am I the only one that has a problem with this little duck being whacked for no reason? Is it really just me? I'm sorry but we want to ban books that talk about sex and mention a cuss word but we can beat defenseless little ducks? What the fuck is wrong with this picture?
I get this was published in 1933 when spanking was in. Hell, I'm not even against spanking! But in a book? With a little duck? Who did nothing wrong?!
Is it just me (again) or did I read in the description that ...more
I get this was published in 1933 when spanking was in. Hell, I'm not even against spanking! But in a book? With a little duck? Who did nothing wrong?!
Is it just me (again) or did I read in the description that ...more
Abigail
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Fans of Vintage Picture-Books
Recommended to Abigail by:
Emily
Shelves:
picture-books,
ducklings-in-danger
Originally published in 1933, this classic picture-book by Marjorie Flack is one I have been meaning to read for some time, as part of my "ducklings in danger" project - does it strike anyone else that there is a superfluity of endangered ducks in children's literature? how did they become the scapegoat of the picture-book world? A recent discussion of The Story About Ping over in the Children's Books group, in our "Popular Children's Books We Hate" thread, highlighted the di...more
I have especially fond memories of this book. I just felt like I was there, on the river.
Re-reading it this week brought to mind sadness at how quickly the planet can be changed by people. The Yangtze river way of life is quite different than it was 70 years ago when this book was written. (And perhaps Flack didn't have it exactly right; she's not Chinese, after all.) But certainly things have changed. In the 30 years since I became acquainted with the book, the Yangtze Valley ha...more
Re-reading it this week brought to mind sadness at how quickly the planet can be changed by people. The Yangtze river way of life is quite different than it was 70 years ago when this book was written. (And perhaps Flack didn't have it exactly right; she's not Chinese, after all.) But certainly things have changed. In the 30 years since I became acquainted with the book, the Yangtze Valley ha...more
Gosh I loved this book as a child. But sometimes you revisit a childhood classic and it isn't quite what you remember. But I can happily say Ping is just as good as I remember. The story has a perfect balance of sadness, anxiety and joy. There's also a good message here - Ping gets separated from his family because he's avoiding the consequences of being the last duck on the boat - a little thwack on the back. Ping has a little adventure, but is joyfully reunited with his family and discover...more
Monica!
rated it
When I was just a wee little thing, my sister and I could not get enough of this book. It's Ping! An adorable duck, who lives on a boat that (weirdly) has eyeballs, and goes on adventures near the Yangtze River! WHAT IS NOT TO LOVE!?!
A reread suggests that what's not to love is the way Ping is apparently beaten by the smiling Master of the Boat, and when he runs away in fear, he loses his way ("Nowhere could Ping see the wise-eyed boat which was his home!"), is kidnapped...more
A reread suggests that what's not to love is the way Ping is apparently beaten by the smiling Master of the Boat, and when he runs away in fear, he loses his way ("Nowhere could Ping see the wise-eyed boat which was his home!"), is kidnapped...more
Ronyell
rated it
I actually first heard about his story years ago on a Weston Woods video. “The Story of Ping” is a Chinese story by Marjorie Flack and Kurt Wiese about how a young and beautiful duck named Ping gets lost in the Yangtze River after he tries to avoid punishment of being late. “The Story of Ping” is a cute story about showing the consequences of disobedience and the importance of family that children cannot resist!
Once there lived a beautiful young yellow duck named Ping who lived wit...more
Once there lived a beautiful young yellow duck named Ping who lived wit...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Through the years, this story has lost none of its potential to charm the kids who read it.
The lightheartedly suspenseful story about a lost duck named Ping, separated from his large family because he does not want to suffer the ignominy of coming in last over the plank to his family's master's boat and receive a spank on the back for his slowness, is different from most picture books in that I really didn't know what was going to happen as the story progressed. On his own amidst t...more
The lightheartedly suspenseful story about a lost duck named Ping, separated from his large family because he does not want to suffer the ignominy of coming in last over the plank to his family's master's boat and receive a spank on the back for his slowness, is different from most picture books in that I really didn't know what was going to happen as the story progressed. On his own amidst t...more
Picked this up since it's part of the Picture Book Activities. This is our first one...
Day 1: asked questions relating to the story and did the Five Little Ducklings fingerplay
Day 2: act out house boat, fishing for goldfish crackers, Counting out number of people in Ping's family (one goldfish for each)
Day 3: read China ABCs by Holly Schroeder and looked through Chinese Word Book by Jiang An, ate stir fry with chopsticks for dinner and fortune cookies for des...more
Day 1: asked questions relating to the story and did the Five Little Ducklings fingerplay
Day 2: act out house boat, fishing for goldfish crackers, Counting out number of people in Ping's family (one goldfish for each)
Day 3: read China ABCs by Holly Schroeder and looked through Chinese Word Book by Jiang An, ate stir fry with chopsticks for dinner and fortune cookies for des...more
This was a favorite of mine as a child and I read this to my own child and we both loved that naughty duck - it is all about getting the little spank and avoiding that consequence! Ping's adventures are infinitely human - we all want to avoid those nasty consequences, but in the end (literally and figuratively) we learn from the school of hard knocks or whacks in this case. The pictures and the story are equally wonderful.
Today's picture book pick is a children's classic. "The Story About Ping," by Marjorie Flack and illustrated by Kurt Wiese,(Penguin Books 1933) is about an adventurous little duck who lived on a boat on the Yangtze River. I first remember hearing this story on my favorite early morning kid's show, Captain Kangaroo. I loved it so much I went straight to the school library that day to get it. Ping was always so careful to join his family at the end of their day of fishing. He didn't want...more
Allison
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Folks interested in ephemera
Recommended to Allison by:
1001 CBYMRBYGU
Shelves:
1001-cbymrbygu
Wow. Like the Frances books, the good feelings I had from childhood weren't repeated re-reading this one as an adult. The illustrations are great, if not stereotypical (but that is not too surprising since the author and illustrator weren't Chinese and it was the 1930s, after all).
I found the spanking objectionable as well as a couple of the images of the young Chinese boy that I found blatantly offensive. But, there were images of the cormorants being used as fishing birds that I like...more
I found the spanking objectionable as well as a couple of the images of the young Chinese boy that I found blatantly offensive. But, there were images of the cormorants being used as fishing birds that I like...more
In the Story About Ping you have ducks getting whacked, one who practically runs away to not get whacked, enslaved birds, imminent death of the main character to feed humans, and boys tied to boats. The strangest part though is that I absolutely LOVED this book as a child. My mother hated reading it to me because she thought it was too depressing, but I would beg and beg and beg for her to read it one more time. She said some nights I would ask for her to read it three or four times in a row.
...more
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Cute story about a little duck who goes to lengths to avoid a spanking and ends up having an adventure. We really enjoyed the story and the illustrations are lovely.
This book is beautifully illustrated. When I am in the mood for a good duck story, this one certainly fits the bill.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Both my seven-year-old and three-year-old loved this story of the little Chinese duck who decides he would rather hide in the tall grasses along the yellow Yangtze River than be the last duck to come home and be spanked by the master for being late. Hiding from his punishment only makes matters worse for Ping as the wise-eyed boat carrying his duck family up and down the shore of the river leaves without him while he sleeps and he has to try to somehow find them again while avoiding the dangers...more
"The Story of Ping" was #2 of my 5 most favorite books when I was a child. "The Velveteen Rabbit" #1, "Where The Wild Things Are" #3, "Where the Sidewalk Ends" #4 and "Charlotte's Web" was #5 (only because she died - which is weird, since I hate spiders, you'd think I'd be glad that a spider was dead. *shakes head LOL
"Stone Soup" was a pretty good book too. But those are my top 5 favorites when I was a kid.
Attention Go...more
"Stone Soup" was a pretty good book too. But those are my top 5 favorites when I was a kid.
Attention Go...more
The Story About Ping, written my Marjorie Flack and Kurt Wise, tells the story of a little duck who lives in a boat on the Yangtze river. Every morning, Ping and his family go to shore and hunt for snails, little fishes and other things to eat. Then each night they all go back on the boat. To avoid being the last duck on the boat (because the last duck always got a swat on his/her behind), Ping hides on shore. But, then he discovers he is all alone, and his family doesn’t return the next day. So...more
It was a really good book. I know you've probably read it already but I'll just tell you what it is about if you haven't read it. This duck named Ping lives on a boat with his family and a boy. One day While Ping was outside on land exploring the left without him. So he is swimming and then he gets lost in this pier. So then this boy caputers Ping by luring him with rice. Then he escapes to find his boat waiting at the dock with all his brothers and sisters an cousins and moms and dads and gran...more
I've been looking for this book ever since starting the 1001- book challenge, and tonight my gorgeous girlfriend found it for me at one of the libraries. I remember reading and re-reading the tale of the little Ping, but mostly I realise what I learnt from it as well. I learnt about Chinese junks and 'farm' boats, birds with rings around their necks trained to catch fish - and I've always known these things - because of this book. That's what I'm finding on this odyssey - the best children's ...more
What a delightful story. My 4yr old and 2yr old thoroughly enjoyed this story and requested it several times as their bedtime story. It was a wonderful way to introduce the country of China in January for Chinese New Year. We visited the Forbidden Gardens and learned about some of China's history. Even my 2yr old made the connection after crossing a waterway and said "Mama where's Ping?" Needless to say, I was smiling from ear to ear!
We're using this book for some activities this week in school. I remember reading this book when I was a child, but I don't remember feeling sad when reading it. Poor Ping. To avoid being spanked being the last one on the boat, he stays overnight by the water. On his way home the next morning, he's picked up by a boy and his family who want to keep him for dinner. He just wants to get back with his family and not get cooked. Thankfully, its a happy ending.
This book is also very special to me. Not only is it one of my Mom's very favorite books, my friends Kate and Stu picked it out for me and send it all the way from the Strand in New York! With a Strand bookmark, which if you don't know, is like an amazing thing for book lovers.
Ping is a great story. It has everything -- suspense, danger, adventure -- and the beautiful yellow waters of the Yangtze River.
I love it.
Ping is a great story. It has everything -- suspense, danger, adventure -- and the beautiful yellow waters of the Yangtze River.
I love it.
I feel like everyone loves this book but me. I don't feel a compelling or even interesting story line. THe up side is she works the word Yangtzee River into the text alot... This is one of the Five in a Row picture books. I don't think it would be wise to try out the Five in a Row concept with a book I don't care for, but I might, just for the convenience of not having to track down a different title. We'll see.
Young duck Ping and the rest of his family, including 42 cousins, live on a bout found at the Yangtze River. Ping hid so he would not be the last to reenter the boat and get spanked. The problem is that the boat sails away. While in the water, a boy finds the duck. Luckily the boy doesn't want to eat him and releases him for the basket. Upon seeing his family he didn't mind getting spanked. Accept consequences.
Sonya
added it
I vividly remember reading this book to my younger brothers as a child/tweenie.
WHO KNEW that 20 years later I would be using "PING"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ping
everyday to troubleshoot network issues.
Some might say that it was destiny. :)
I proudly keep a copy of this book on my desk to share with other network types. :)
WHO KNEW that 20 years later I would be using "PING"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ping
everyday to troubleshoot network issues.
Some might say that it was destiny. :)
I proudly keep a copy of this book on my desk to share with other network types. :)
I think I first heard this read on the Captain Kangaroo television show when I was three or four years old. I utterly identified with Ping as a fellow curious little person exploring the enormous world. I was hugely relieved at his safe return home, but then and every time thereafter that I heard the story, I felt that it was most unfair that the last duck in line every night got a spank!
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
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