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Duck! Rabbit!
Is it a duck or a rabbit? Depends on how you look at it . With more than 100,000 copies sold, this classic picture book is now available in a sturdy board book that little ones will love holding in their own two hands. Smart, simple and funny, it offers a hilarious choice—and one readers of all ages will rejoice in making.
Hardcover
First published February 25, 2009
172 people are currently reading
2563 people want to read
About the author
Amy Krouse Rosenthal
87 books1,089 followersSHORT BIO:
Amy Krouse Rosenthal was.
She divided her time.
NOT SO SHORT BIO:
Amy Krouse Rosenthal was a person who liked to make things.
Some things she liked to make include:
Children's books. (Little Pea, Spoon, DuckRabbit)
Grown-up books. (Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life)
Short films. (The Beckoning of Lovely, The Money Tree)
Guided journals. (The Belly Book)
Something out of nothing. (see above)
A longtime contributor to WBEZ and to the TED conference,
Amy lived with her family in Chicago and online at whoisamy.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 999 reviews
May 8, 2020
Long ago, I first saw this cartoon, inspired by a Victorian optical illusion, and saved it as a favourite.
"There can be no peace until they renounce their Rabbit God and accept our Duck God."
In recent years, I've become especially fond of it, as a timely message to counter the entrenched and divisive politics in many parts of the world, including my own (Brexit, for example). It doesn’t apply where one person is arguing that 2+ 2 = 5, but it’s a simple and useful reminder that on many issues, opposing opinions are at least partly a matter of perspective, rather than one being totally right and the other totally wrong.
I read this book because, a couple of days ago, I saw a video filmed by Prince Harry, in which Meghan reads it to their son, HERE. It’s for the charity campaign #SaveWithStories, which seeks to provide food and learning resources to children affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
I’m not a royalist (but I'm not an abolitionist until there is a clear, viable alternative, that is better) or follower of celebrities, but I thought the video was sweet, and the choice of book, showing the funny ambiguity of the duck/rabbit, with bold and simple illustrations, was especially apt in these fraught times.
I might have forgotten about it, but the next day, I saw on Twitter that some other author, who I’ve never heard of, was trashing the whole thing and accusing Meghan of being unmaternal and merely acting the role of a mother. I am aware of the huge amount of vitriol spewed at Meghan, often for doing the same things Kate is praised for. I've no idea what sort of mother she is, if she's "good" or "bad" for Harry, or the wisdom of posting the video when they’re also asking for privacy. But I do think it’s sad to see such mudslinging, especially in the context of a delightful book.
When pandemic social-distancing means we can’t shake hands, let’s offer metaphorical ones, especially to those who see the “wrong” animal in a simple drawing.
"Our blessed homeland" compared with "Their barbarous wastes" - by Tom Gauld
"There can be no peace until they renounce their Rabbit God and accept our Duck God."
In recent years, I've become especially fond of it, as a timely message to counter the entrenched and divisive politics in many parts of the world, including my own (Brexit, for example). It doesn’t apply where one person is arguing that 2+ 2 = 5, but it’s a simple and useful reminder that on many issues, opposing opinions are at least partly a matter of perspective, rather than one being totally right and the other totally wrong.
I read this book because, a couple of days ago, I saw a video filmed by Prince Harry, in which Meghan reads it to their son, HERE. It’s for the charity campaign #SaveWithStories, which seeks to provide food and learning resources to children affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
I’m not a royalist (but I'm not an abolitionist until there is a clear, viable alternative, that is better) or follower of celebrities, but I thought the video was sweet, and the choice of book, showing the funny ambiguity of the duck/rabbit, with bold and simple illustrations, was especially apt in these fraught times.
I might have forgotten about it, but the next day, I saw on Twitter that some other author, who I’ve never heard of, was trashing the whole thing and accusing Meghan of being unmaternal and merely acting the role of a mother. I am aware of the huge amount of vitriol spewed at Meghan, often for doing the same things Kate is praised for. I've no idea what sort of mother she is, if she's "good" or "bad" for Harry, or the wisdom of posting the video when they’re also asking for privacy. But I do think it’s sad to see such mudslinging, especially in the context of a delightful book.
When pandemic social-distancing means we can’t shake hands, let’s offer metaphorical ones, especially to those who see the “wrong” animal in a simple drawing.
"Our blessed homeland" compared with "Their barbarous wastes" - by Tom Gauld
June 21, 2020
A fun picture book with the theme that this drawing could either be a duck or a rabbit. For me it has to be a rabbit, if it were a duck the eye is just too far away. Nice to read it and form your own opinions.
Read on open library
Read on open library
November 20, 2009
What a fun book! This is a story of two (off-stage) people looking at the same object and seeing two entirely different things (is it a duck, or is it a rabbit?). The beauty of this book is that the object we are looking at is such a simply illustrated form, and it will be quite easy for younger children to look at the picture and immediately identify it as one or the other. The fun comes in throughout the subsequent pages, as both of the people offer up compelling evidence to convince the other. They are both so successful in their arguments that they end up switching opinions! This book also offers up a few extra treats, as with the last page (is it an anteater or a brachiosaurus?) and the inside cover page illustration of duck and rabbit shapes in the clouds. Duck! Rabbit! can be a great way to introduce children to the idea that things are not always as they seem. This is definitely recommended for a fun and silly parent-child read along.(Ages 3-7)
(P.S. - It's a rabbit!)
(P.S. - It's a rabbit!)
August 7, 2020
12 April 2009
Highly recommended for preschool age. Crazy fun. Also, fun for those who are not preschool age.
***
7 March 2013
Youngest kid and I had fun with this. It's interesting the way one's perception toggles back and forth with the text. Excellent optical illusion, and yet, so simple.
Library copy.
Highly recommended for preschool age. Crazy fun. Also, fun for those who are not preschool age.
***
7 March 2013
Youngest kid and I had fun with this. It's interesting the way one's perception toggles back and forth with the text. Excellent optical illusion, and yet, so simple.
Library copy.
July 14, 2020
Featured in grandma reads session. . .
This picture book is all about visual clues and what your brain tells you is on the page. It is great fun to see little children, or any human seeing it for the first time. . .as there is an actual beat that happens before that second possibility is admitted. There is a first seen right away, and when you watching them you can see when they either see it themselves or hear the whispers of others about a second possibility and override their brain and see the second for themselves. Children who have read the book love to watch each other. There is something magic about seeing someone "get" something that is trying to be communicated. Magic. In that moment is hope that there really is good stuff out in the ether waiting for us to "get." Mmm.
A delightful read for my crew. The youngest loved the book. The olders loved the youngers loving the book. It was a delightful moment to be part of, all thanks to the clever author and illustrator.
5 stars. Or is that a starfish?
This picture book is all about visual clues and what your brain tells you is on the page. It is great fun to see little children, or any human seeing it for the first time. . .as there is an actual beat that happens before that second possibility is admitted. There is a first seen right away, and when you watching them you can see when they either see it themselves or hear the whispers of others about a second possibility and override their brain and see the second for themselves. Children who have read the book love to watch each other. There is something magic about seeing someone "get" something that is trying to be communicated. Magic. In that moment is hope that there really is good stuff out in the ether waiting for us to "get." Mmm.
A delightful read for my crew. The youngest loved the book. The olders loved the youngers loving the book. It was a delightful moment to be part of, all thanks to the clever author and illustrator.
5 stars. Or is that a starfish?
September 10, 2018
This is like reading a PG version of a Goodreads comment thread... except that people concede that the others may have had a point!
It's a quick read. The strength of the book really lies in its premise. The illustrations aren't all that impressive; they're not something that would make me pick the book up again, in any case.
Duck! Rabbit! is fine as a novelty, but it isn't especially interesting. I'd recommend checking it out from the library before you buy; it might be a little unsatisfying for some people.
It's a quick read. The strength of the book really lies in its premise. The illustrations aren't all that impressive; they're not something that would make me pick the book up again, in any case.
Duck! Rabbit! is fine as a novelty, but it isn't especially interesting. I'd recommend checking it out from the library before you buy; it might be a little unsatisfying for some people.
May 7, 2020
Meghan Markle read this to me in a video on instagram so technically.... this goes on the "read" shelf😏
July 28, 2009
5 STARS FOR CONCEPT, THREE FOR EXECUTION. Love the concept of this story! I think I was just expecting a bit more. Would have been fun to see a variety of animals like the duck/rabbit doing various things, but I still feel this is a really important story to share with kids--shows how we can have different perspectives on an issue and there is not necessarily a "right" and "wrong" involved.
I still prefer a book from my childhood, called "It Looks Like This" with a variety of mice looking through holes in the barn, from the roof, the door, the window, and each catching a different view of the cow therein and each insisting that HIS drawing of the cow is the correct one. But, I think that is long ago vanished into out-of-print land.
I still prefer a book from my childhood, called "It Looks Like This" with a variety of mice looking through holes in the barn, from the roof, the door, the window, and each catching a different view of the cow therein and each insisting that HIS drawing of the cow is the correct one. But, I think that is long ago vanished into out-of-print land.
May 4, 2015
Um livro muito divertido que o meu filho mais novo adorou ler, com diálogos simples, excelentes para quem começou agora a dar os primeiros passos na leitura
September 9, 2023
I can’t believe I paid money for that. Two optical illusions only, with the second one poorly drawn and on the last page. I expect each page to be a different illusion. A disappointment. Temper your expectations going in and don’t expect more than the cover illustration and you should be fine.
1, I want my money back, stars.
1, I want my money back, stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2019
Creative! Is it a duck or a rabbit?
November 16, 2017
A big hit at preschool storytime! This humorous book is a great introduction to ideas of perspective, point of view, even optical illusions. We took a vote based on the cover on whether the picture was a duck or rabbit, and then periodically re-voted throughout the book.
July 11, 2018
Cute and fun! ^_^
Read
March 21, 2023Read with my students for our reading challenge
October 29, 2023
Quite cute! :)
A book that is, like the illustration on the cover, all about showing that to different perspectives on the same thing can be right, even if they seem to contradict each other.
I read this one, because I finished most other books by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, and want to read still more by her; so now I am switching over to some of her children books.
The illustrations are simple and beautiful, the idea of the book (and the underlying duck/rabbit image) is clever, and, like I hoped, many pages were either smart or fun even though I am probably not part of the main demographic for which this book was written. :)
A book that is, like the illustration on the cover, all about showing that to different perspectives on the same thing can be right, even if they seem to contradict each other.
I read this one, because I finished most other books by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, and want to read still more by her; so now I am switching over to some of her children books.
The illustrations are simple and beautiful, the idea of the book (and the underlying duck/rabbit image) is clever, and, like I hoped, many pages were either smart or fun even though I am probably not part of the main demographic for which this book was written. :)
March 22, 2012
Duck! Rabbit! is one book that I knew was just not going to be something I would naturally pick out to read to the kids. The cover shows the entire plot of the book, for pity sake! I thought it was going to be insubstantial, overdone, and ridiculous, and it was. But I can see why this book does appeal to kids, especially to kids that are my nephew's age (pre-school). I can also see how this book can help kids in that age range learn to see things from different perspectives.
Nevertheless, I was just choking on the idea of having to read this book, so ultimately, I didn't. Instead, I asked my niece if she would read it to her brother. For me, this gave the book much more value because it enabled her to work on her reading, her voice, her fluidity, and her expression. It also gave the kids a chance to bond over this story. My niece did a great job of reading this to my nephew. She had him cracking up, and she was even helping him to see the pictures from the different perspectives that the author/illustrator was presenting ("see, in this picture the duck's bill is in the water trying to eat the fish, and on *this* page the rabbit's ears are in the water, and his face is looking up at the sky. He's probably going to get a sunburn,"). This was a completely appropriate way to teach him, and I was impressed that she was so good at helping him to interpret the illustrations! It was very satisfying to listen to them together. Even though Duck! Rabbit! wasn't my cup of tea, the kids thought it was marvelous, and I loved that Sister and Brother were able to share this book together in such meaningful ways.
Nevertheless, I was just choking on the idea of having to read this book, so ultimately, I didn't. Instead, I asked my niece if she would read it to her brother. For me, this gave the book much more value because it enabled her to work on her reading, her voice, her fluidity, and her expression. It also gave the kids a chance to bond over this story. My niece did a great job of reading this to my nephew. She had him cracking up, and she was even helping him to see the pictures from the different perspectives that the author/illustrator was presenting ("see, in this picture the duck's bill is in the water trying to eat the fish, and on *this* page the rabbit's ears are in the water, and his face is looking up at the sky. He's probably going to get a sunburn,"). This was a completely appropriate way to teach him, and I was impressed that she was so good at helping him to interpret the illustrations! It was very satisfying to listen to them together. Even though Duck! Rabbit! wasn't my cup of tea, the kids thought it was marvelous, and I loved that Sister and Brother were able to share this book together in such meaningful ways.
March 16, 2009
Two off-page voices argue back and forth about whether they are looking at a duck or a rabbit. Children will probably first see only one of the animals, but when a piece of bread appears almost in the duck’s bill they will see the duck. Then when the carrot is offered to the rabbit, they will see the rabbit. This is a great visual puzzle that will get children ready to look at more complex optical illusions. The book is infused with humor that will keep any youngster from feeling badly if they can’t see both animals at first.
The illustrations carry the book here. Deceptively simple, the illustrations are very clever, offering visual clues but not straying from the original idea. The book is written in the two voices which are easily read aloud and great fun as well. I remember that we would sometimes get couples who would want to read a book to a class or to a group. This would be an ideal book for a pair to read together to a class of early elementary or preschool children.
Great fun, this book is appropriate for ages 3-6. Make sure you have some other optical illusions books ready to go.
The illustrations carry the book here. Deceptively simple, the illustrations are very clever, offering visual clues but not straying from the original idea. The book is written in the two voices which are easily read aloud and great fun as well. I remember that we would sometimes get couples who would want to read a book to a class or to a group. This would be an ideal book for a pair to read together to a class of early elementary or preschool children.
Great fun, this book is appropriate for ages 3-6. Make sure you have some other optical illusions books ready to go.
Read
June 4, 2020Is that a duck? Or is that a rabbit? Look, it’s dipping its ears in the water to cool off! No, that duck is just using its beak to get a sip of water on a hot summer day. This is a fun interactive book that you can read over and over again with your little one and still be guessing all the way. Enjoy this one now by checking out a copy on Mymcpl.org or searching for it on Overdrive! – Reviewed by Stephanie at MCPL Reading Rocket
Read
November 2, 2015LOVED IT!
Two characters are discussing whether a picture they see is a duck or a rabbit. It's the classic optical illusion, but it's matter of perspective. When they add certain things to support their point of view, the other adds something too and you actually see both!
Personally, I am team rabbit! :)
Two characters are discussing whether a picture they see is a duck or a rabbit. It's the classic optical illusion, but it's matter of perspective. When they add certain things to support their point of view, the other adds something too and you actually see both!
Personally, I am team rabbit! :)
March 2, 2017
I really loved this book, because in the simplest and most playful way it calls into question point-of-view and discourse. YES!!!! Show children this as early as possible in life and then encourage them to use that way of seeing on every other text they ever come to!!!!
I think for the very earliest age-group you would struggle to come up with a better book than this!
I think for the very earliest age-group you would struggle to come up with a better book than this!
January 15, 2017
Want to start a conversation with young children about people having different points of view? This is the book. Fun and funny, and a fabulous ending.
January 21, 2018
A cute and funny children’s book about how different people can see different things depending on their perspective and environment.
May 16, 2020
Students in our classroom like this picture book a lot. I’ve ever to hear a bunny’s quack; I’ve yet seen a hare with extensions on his back.
December 5, 2009
Rosenthal, Amy Krouse. Duck! Rabbit! illus. by Tom Lichtenheld. Chronicle Books. Trade. ISBN 978-8118-6865-5 $16.99. unpaged. (Preschool, Primary).
Duck! Rabbit! is told by two unidentified characters in first person narrative each believing the animal is a duck or a rabbit. Sparse, bold, simple text is found in the upper top left and right hand corners of each page. "Hey, look! A duck"! "That's not a duck. That's a rabbit"! "Are you kidding me? It's totally a duck." "It's for sure a rabbit." This narrative motif is consistent throughout the book with its simplistic language structure and flowing rhythm that would appeal to emerging readers or storytime listeners. Tom Lichtenheld's bold illustrations of the recurring duck/ rabbit theme complement the text. Lichtenheld's work in ink, watercolor, and a "wee bit of colored pencil" are subtle in the background while always drawing the eye to the duck/rabbit. To give even more emphasis on the main character, every page is outlined with a heavy black border. Movement is characterized by the use of watercolor lines and the placement of rooftops, the sun, water and fish. This visual puzzle is structured so the response of the first person on the left side of the page is about the duck, while the second response is always on the right side of the page regarding it being a rabbit which adds another element of continuity. The book cover adds an element of curiosity to the reader with its balloon words and back cover captions. A perfect book to stimulate visualization and fun conversation among young ones. sbw
Duck! Rabbit! is told by two unidentified characters in first person narrative each believing the animal is a duck or a rabbit. Sparse, bold, simple text is found in the upper top left and right hand corners of each page. "Hey, look! A duck"! "That's not a duck. That's a rabbit"! "Are you kidding me? It's totally a duck." "It's for sure a rabbit." This narrative motif is consistent throughout the book with its simplistic language structure and flowing rhythm that would appeal to emerging readers or storytime listeners. Tom Lichtenheld's bold illustrations of the recurring duck/ rabbit theme complement the text. Lichtenheld's work in ink, watercolor, and a "wee bit of colored pencil" are subtle in the background while always drawing the eye to the duck/rabbit. To give even more emphasis on the main character, every page is outlined with a heavy black border. Movement is characterized by the use of watercolor lines and the placement of rooftops, the sun, water and fish. This visual puzzle is structured so the response of the first person on the left side of the page is about the duck, while the second response is always on the right side of the page regarding it being a rabbit which adds another element of continuity. The book cover adds an element of curiosity to the reader with its balloon words and back cover captions. A perfect book to stimulate visualization and fun conversation among young ones. sbw
January 11, 2018
Check out more Picture book reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
Is is a duck or a rabbit? A subtle optical illusion storybook.
This is a cute book that is all about the gimmick. It was fun to read with my nephew who took a few pages to understand what was going on. We read this digitally and it was fun to turn on the narration. My nephew especially loved that since he has trouble remembering how to pronounce words, even words he knows.
I'm not sure I bought into the gimmick though. It always looked like a rabbit to me. And the sides were so crammed on either side nothing really made it look any different. I didn't find the end funny either, nor did my nephew get that he was supposed to argue or let go of the argument in the end. To him it looked like a rabbit too, even with the duck noises.
This is probably aimed at a very specific age group, but the language was so simple the book seems at odds with itself.
BOTTOM LINE: A gimmick book you'll either love or think 'eh'...
______________________
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November 10, 2018
Based on a drawing made in 1899 by American psychologist Joseph Jastrow, Duck! Rabbit! is told through a conversation between two people who come upon a creature. One of the people is convinced they are seeing a duck; the other a rabbit. On each page, the duck/rabbit illustration is the same, large, white, outlined in bold black, but the foreground or background pages with each spread, until maybe, just maybe the observers see something different.
Duck! Rabbit! is a funny presentation of how people can see the same thing but have a completely different perspective. I love the vibrant drawings that highlight each point of view. It’s a great book to start a discussion about how people can see the exact same thing but interpret it differently and so promote empathy and understanding--while maintaining a sense of humor!
...aka darzy... | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Duck! Rabbit! is a funny presentation of how people can see the same thing but have a completely different perspective. I love the vibrant drawings that highlight each point of view. It’s a great book to start a discussion about how people can see the exact same thing but interpret it differently and so promote empathy and understanding--while maintaining a sense of humor!
...aka darzy... | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
December 8, 2009
We don't see the narrators of the book. All we see of them is their conversation as they debate the exact taxonomy of the strange creature pictured on the cover. Is it a duck getting a drink of water? Or a rabbit cooling his ears? Maybe the duck wading in the swamp - or is that a rabbit hopping through the grass?
The language is very simple, which makes it ideal both for reading to a small child or for an early reader to read to you. My niece was able to read it prior to starting the first grade, for example. I recommend this for any first grade or kindergarten classroom... however, for home use, I find there's just not enough to it to justify getting it. It's a cute book, but my nieces and I don't have much use for it most of the time. In a classroom setting, you have plenty of children and it's more interesting than many other books at that level, but at home... meh. Take it out from the library once in a while.
The language is very simple, which makes it ideal both for reading to a small child or for an early reader to read to you. My niece was able to read it prior to starting the first grade, for example. I recommend this for any first grade or kindergarten classroom... however, for home use, I find there's just not enough to it to justify getting it. It's a cute book, but my nieces and I don't have much use for it most of the time. In a classroom setting, you have plenty of children and it's more interesting than many other books at that level, but at home... meh. Take it out from the library once in a while.
July 23, 2011
This is a children's book that plays with the idea that shapes can be ambiguous. An early 20th Century psychologist, Jastrow, invented the figure that looks like the head of a duck and/or the head of a rabbit (the duck's beak being the rabbit's ears). This was popularized by Wittgenstein's use of it in his Philosophical Investigations, in the course of a discussion of seeing something AS something--what exactly IS the difference between seeing this as a rabbit and seeing it as a duck? The figure then became the name and the logo of a brewery in North Carolina. The interesting innovation in this book is that it ends with a new ambiguous figure--the anteater/brachiosaurus--the snout of one being the tail of the other/the tail of one being the neck and head of the other.
May 4, 2011
now when i'm in a store with ellie and she ducks behind something to hide from me I just say, "Duck!" and I hear a little "Rabbit" come back at me. I know I've met a fellow children's lit reader when the exchange draws a knowing smile. A cute introduction to optical illusion sort of drawings.
August 28, 2019
با این کتاب میتونیم متفاوت دیدن رو تمرین کنیم.
کتاب در مورد یک موجودیه که از یک طرف شبیه به خرگوش و از طرف دیگر شبیه اردک است.
اما در واقعیت اردک است یا خرگوش؟!این به نگاه و انتخاب کودک بستگی دارد یعنی آزادی در دیدن.
کتاب در مورد یک موجودیه که از یک طرف شبیه به خرگوش و از طرف دیگر شبیه اردک است.
اما در واقعیت اردک است یا خرگوش؟!این به نگاه و انتخاب کودک بستگی دارد یعنی آزادی در دیدن.
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