Dawdle Duckling

by Toni Buzzeo, Margaret Spengler (Illustrator)

Always the last to come around, Dawdle Duckling loves to spin and swirl and waste the day away in dreams, but when Mama Duck screams at him that a crocodile is waiting for him close by, Dawdle Duckling quickly learns how to move at top speed like all the rest.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Storytime, Counting

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 27, 2003

Reviews

[LL · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful. My son chose it from a book order at school...not money well spent. It is about a duckling that keeps disobeying his mother and talking back, and he ends up almost getting eaten by a crocodile. If only the croc hadn't missed....

[Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

The alligator is enjoyable. Unlikely ending though.

[Jeanette Rakestraw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Family oriented book that teaches children the meaning of unconditional love. In a family, all children are different and the expectations of the parents will vary. This story let's children know that parents will protect you, care for you, and nuture you just as you are. The pages are colorful, there is repetition, and also counting.
Extention Activity: A group activity such as relay races will teach the children that until everyone has completed his/her leg, you are not done. You are a team and everyone on the team is important.

[Mandy J. Hoffman · Rating 2 out of 5]

MY REVIEW:

While this sports the adorable illustrations of Margaret Spengler, the story line leaves much to be desired. It may be cute, but there is an ugly side to this book when the little Dawdle Duckling tells his Mommy "no" over and over again. I used this book to point out how naughty Dawdle was being, but really, this book could be left unread and you could enjoy other ones instead.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mother duck takes her four ducklings out for a swim. Ducklings one, two and three keep close to mom and don't wander off. Duckling four, however, has a bit of a short attention span. He is always wandering off, lagging behind. Mother duck is forever admonishing him to keep up. When a hungry crocodile creeps up behind him, Dawdle Duckling leaps quickly out of the way just in time.

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

One, two and three ducklings follow their Mama Duck everywhere. But dawdle duckling wanders here and there, until Mama Duck tells him to catch up.
This book has great illustrations and fun bright colors. The story is cute, fun and simple. It’s a great for starting readers with simple, repetitive words. Perfect for small children and the illustrations are really quite great.

[Terry]

The book made this parent want to sit down and paint because the illustrations were so bright and eye-catching. The story is cute and very timely for preschoolers who like to dawdle!

[Alba · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a neat book about inevitable child when you have multiple children that seems to go his own way, but in the end Mom loves him the same and he always stays close enough to be protected by his mother.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice colorful illustrations. Appropriate amount or words per page for early readers. Has quotes and expression e.i. "NO!" which is a good lesson for beginning readers. Text features include bold words and capitalized words "NO!". Figurative language included repetition and alliteration.

[Ayoca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will be great to use in Math when discussing first, and on. Good to be used with k-1st grade. I am using it with my daughter to help her with first, second, etc. as well.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Cute!

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very colorful. Cute story about a duckling who almost become an alligator dinner because of his dawdling.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute illustrations. Nice story even though the fourth duckling is a brat.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute. Read it to my story time kids today

[Jayme · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't particularly care for this book, but Ethan likes to point out all the different animals that dawdle duckling meets along the way. When he sees the alligator he yells, "Oh, no! Alligator!"

[Tierra Wooten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would do an activity where my kids would have to make ducks and a habitat for them to live in. This would of course be a science lesson.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic n cute. Has great photos

[Sophonie Joseph-Canel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is super cute, and I love the illustrations. Bright and vibrant colors. A social emotional development book, for a toddler teacher. The 4th duck is very stubborn and says no to everything, don’t we all have one like that in out classroom? In the end the 4th duck finally listens and quacks back to mama! This book is also good for counting and sound identification, like what sound does a duck make?

[Caroline Herfindahl]

The fourth little duckling likes to follow the beat of his own drum and always trails behind until... the illustrations are adorable and the author uses some really great verbs to describe what the little duckling gets up to. Repeated text makes for a great chance to have kids help tell the story.

[Bethany Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite part of this book was the illustrations! The illustrations were so vivid and entertaining. This would be a cute math book for younger children because it counts from number one to number four on each page. It could also be considered an interactive book because the children could be encouraged to "quack" with the little duckling in the story.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the illustration in this book, it is really cute and attractive. I think this book teaches children the importance of staying with their mom or whoever is taking care of them. It shows that it is dangerous if you dont stay with them and that they are there to protect you and watch over you.

[Morgan Renouf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is very engaging and interactive. Children can join in and quack with the ducklings! The illustrations are fantastic as well. I definitely think reading this to a group of toddlers would be so fun and it would be easy to keep the whole class engaged.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mother duck had four little ducklings, three that kept up with her and one that always dawdled behind looking at everything. One day, not paying attention to his mother almost got little Dawdle Duckling into big trouble. A cute story with wonderful illustrations.

[Karla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Colorful. But not one I’d recommend

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a lovely children’s book. It encapsulates how people, not a duckling, are captivated by all of creation!

[Carol Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

So adorable. Great repetition in the story. Great storytime choice.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great pictures. Would be used well when teaching math to very young children. Very cute story.

[R.J. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Incredibly similar to narrative to Stay Close to Mama with the same unsatisfying ending.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations