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Have You Seen My Duckling?
In this classic and bestselling Caldecott Honor winner, a mother duck loses her duckling—and finds it, with the help of sharp-eyed young readers. “As fresh as spring.”— The Horn Book “Children will return to this one again and again . . . a reassuring story of youthful independence and familial love.”— School Library Journal , starred review “[Nancy Tafuri] always manages to flavor her splendid pictures with humor and interesting detail.”— The New York Times Book Review Acclaimed author Nancy Tafuri hides the little duck somewhere on each page—have YOU seen it? This almost-wordless book is both a fun counting game and an exciting hidden-picture hunt for the youngest readers.
14 pages, Board Book
First published March 12, 1984
About the author
Nancy Tafuri
67 books57 followersNancy Tafuri is probably best known as the creator of Have You Seen My Duckling?, a 1985 Caldecott Honor Book described by Parent’s Choice as “beautifully precise yet emotionally affecting.” Trained as a graphic designer, Tafuri has authored more than 45 books over 30 years for the very young.
When Tafuri first attempted picture book illustration in the late 1970’s picture books were aimed at five-, six-, and seven-year-olds. Tafuri’s images were considered “too graphic” for children that age. “The pictures are too big,” she was told over and over about the large, colorful shapes she drew. Finally, Tafuri’s talent was recognized and tapped at Greenwillow Books, Harper Collins Publishers.
Since then she has had the opportunity to work with Scholastic Press, Scholastic Inc., Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division and most recently Little, Brown Books For Young Readers, Little, Brown and Company.
Tafuri was born in Brooklyn, New York. For the first ten years of her life she was an only child and says that this helped her to learn to entertain herself with stories and art.
Tafuri entered the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 1964. Her first job was as an assistant art director for the publishing firm Simon & Schuster. She left two years later and married Thomas Tafuri, a fellow student at the School of Visual Arts.
The Tafuri’s opened their own graphic design studio, in 1971. Their primary product was dust jackets for hardcover books. They opened their business in New York City, but eventually moved their studio and home to Connecticut.
At this time, Nancy was able to devote all of her time to writing and illustration.
When Tafuri finally found herself illustrating children’s books, either her own or other authors’, she felt she had found her life’s calling and a strong sense of joy from creating them. She loves to take a small portion of the text and create a visual representation that children can grasp and remember. In 1989, when Cristina was born, Nancy began to feel even more strongly motivated to illustrate for children. Her work seemed even more important and more personal.
“I feel honored to be creating literature for young children. Seeing how very important the early years are in a person’s life, I can only hope that my books can contribute in some small way to that growth, with the feelings that I hope I project within those pages, through line, color, shape, and story.”
When Tafuri first attempted picture book illustration in the late 1970’s picture books were aimed at five-, six-, and seven-year-olds. Tafuri’s images were considered “too graphic” for children that age. “The pictures are too big,” she was told over and over about the large, colorful shapes she drew. Finally, Tafuri’s talent was recognized and tapped at Greenwillow Books, Harper Collins Publishers.
Since then she has had the opportunity to work with Scholastic Press, Scholastic Inc., Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division and most recently Little, Brown Books For Young Readers, Little, Brown and Company.
Tafuri was born in Brooklyn, New York. For the first ten years of her life she was an only child and says that this helped her to learn to entertain herself with stories and art.
Tafuri entered the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 1964. Her first job was as an assistant art director for the publishing firm Simon & Schuster. She left two years later and married Thomas Tafuri, a fellow student at the School of Visual Arts.
The Tafuri’s opened their own graphic design studio, in 1971. Their primary product was dust jackets for hardcover books. They opened their business in New York City, but eventually moved their studio and home to Connecticut.
At this time, Nancy was able to devote all of her time to writing and illustration.
When Tafuri finally found herself illustrating children’s books, either her own or other authors’, she felt she had found her life’s calling and a strong sense of joy from creating them. She loves to take a small portion of the text and create a visual representation that children can grasp and remember. In 1989, when Cristina was born, Nancy began to feel even more strongly motivated to illustrate for children. Her work seemed even more important and more personal.
“I feel honored to be creating literature for young children. Seeing how very important the early years are in a person’s life, I can only hope that my books can contribute in some small way to that growth, with the feelings that I hope I project within those pages, through line, color, shape, and story.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 218 reviews
June 3, 2019
This is a very cute and very beginning book. A family of ducks is looking for their lost sibling who went off by itself in the morning. The artwork is lovely, truly lovely. The story is simple for the youngest of readers, so my grade is in that mindset of reader.
I did read this with the kids and they were both a little bored by it. The niece did think the art was pretty, but she gave it 2 stars for being so beneath her. The nephew was bored and gave it 1 star. It’s too young for them.
I did read this with the kids and they were both a little bored by it. The niece did think the art was pretty, but she gave it 2 stars for being so beneath her. The nephew was bored and gave it 1 star. It’s too young for them.
August 26, 2022
Read for my toddler's bedtime. A hide and seek story with very few words.
Gifted from the library to my toddler for joining 1000 books before Kindergarten.
Gifted from the library to my toddler for joining 1000 books before Kindergarten.
May 23, 2017
A sweetly simple, nearly wordless picture book featuring an anxious mother duck searching rather in vain for one of her eight ducklings (which is always depicted as present in the picture, but mischievously hiding at the very edges of each illustration spread), I can certainly understand and appreciate how and why Nancy Tafuri's Have You Seen My Duckling? won a Caldecott Honour Medal (the illustrations are descriptive, detailed and fun, with a colour scheme that is both bright and muted at the same time). Now while I personally do find the presented narrative (and actually the entire storyline) almost a bit too superficial for my own tastes, even bordering on the potentially mundane, for the right and thus the intended audience (very young children, and perhaps even absolutely beginning novice readers), Have You Seen My Duckling? would and could have much potential appeal (and might also be used by parents and caregivers for counting practice, find and search activities, as well as naming and researching, studying the diverse animals, the diverse denizens of the pond the mother duck approaches and asks concerning her missing offspring, her missing duckling, a bittern, a turtle, a beaver, fishes, a grebe).
April 19, 2019
Cute little ducklings tag along with their mama ... oh no; all except one! The little ones will enjoy trying to find the missing little duckling on each page.
Ages 2-4
**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it! Visit my website: The Book Radar.
Ages 2-4
**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it! Visit my website: The Book Radar.
November 7, 2016
This is so much fun to share with a group, or even one-on-one.
Before opening the book, talk about what is shown on the cover. "What do you see?" "Do you think this is the mother duck?" "How many ducklings are in her family?" "What is flying beside the mother?"
Turn to the title page. Ask more questions. (This is called "dialogic reading, and not only is it fun to do but it also helps prepare children to read independently!) "Uh-oh, what is happening here?"
Turn the page. Read the text: EARLY ONE MORNING... Ask more questions. "What is the little duck doing?" "Do the brothers and sisters notice?" To the story time crowd I opened and shut my fingers as if they were duck bills and I said "quack, quack, quack". I invited the children to do this with me. Now there were thirty of us "quack, quack, quacking" and it was very noisy, which was the point.
Turn the page. Ask the children if they can see the little duck and the butterfly. (You will do this on every page. The children love finding the duck and the butterfly). The mother duck is swimming toward the nest, wondering what the matter is. All the little ducklings are still quacking. (There is no text, but you can observe this with the children).
Turn the page. Find the runaway duck (no butterfly on this page). Have the group "quack, quack, quack" again. Be the mother duck by saying, "I can't understand you with everyone talking at once."
And so forth. One mother came up to us after story time and thanked us for showing how to have fun with books.
Before opening the book, talk about what is shown on the cover. "What do you see?" "Do you think this is the mother duck?" "How many ducklings are in her family?" "What is flying beside the mother?"
Turn to the title page. Ask more questions. (This is called "dialogic reading, and not only is it fun to do but it also helps prepare children to read independently!) "Uh-oh, what is happening here?"
Turn the page. Read the text: EARLY ONE MORNING... Ask more questions. "What is the little duck doing?" "Do the brothers and sisters notice?" To the story time crowd I opened and shut my fingers as if they were duck bills and I said "quack, quack, quack". I invited the children to do this with me. Now there were thirty of us "quack, quack, quacking" and it was very noisy, which was the point.
Turn the page. Ask the children if they can see the little duck and the butterfly. (You will do this on every page. The children love finding the duck and the butterfly). The mother duck is swimming toward the nest, wondering what the matter is. All the little ducklings are still quacking. (There is no text, but you can observe this with the children).
Turn the page. Find the runaway duck (no butterfly on this page). Have the group "quack, quack, quack" again. Be the mother duck by saying, "I can't understand you with everyone talking at once."
And so forth. One mother came up to us after story time and thanked us for showing how to have fun with books.
July 17, 2017
My daughter picked this as her summer reading prize from our local library. She was clearly familiar with it (they probably have it at her school) and liked to "read" it herself. It is a nearly word-less book -"have you seen my duckling?" is repeated on many pages as the mother duck looks for her lost little duck. It is a wonderful book for independent kids who can't quite read on their own yet.
April 14, 2020
D loves this one!
December 3, 2013
Have you seen my duckling is a Caldecott Honor Book. Its pictures are incredible and so enjoyable to look at. It is a story about the adventure a momma duck and her ducklings go on one morning. However one terrible thing happens along they way. She loses one of her ducklings. So she proceeds to ask everyone else around the pond if they have seen her duckling. The bird, nor the turtle, or the beaver, nor the fish had seen the duckling. It is not until the end of the story that the lost duckling returns to his mother safe an sound. The book is very unique for it has very few words but is still able to tell an entire story. Color and life fill the pages as the Ducks travel through the pond that is so full of life. My favorite part about the entire book, is if you look closely at the pictures you can see the lost duck in every one hiding somewhere within the picture. This book is wonderful to introduce to young beginning readers. It has little words, and most repeat so it would be great practice for repetition, however, the story line is still easy for children to follow as well as appreciate.
May 5, 2016
This almost wordless book is great for very young children, as they try to find the wayward duckling in each picture. Mama Duck spends some time looking for her eighth duckling, and asking other pond-dwelling creatures if they have seen it; while the reader is encouraged to locate the missing duckling in each double-page illustration. Children can also count the ducklings in each picture. The pictures are well-executed, but the artist keeps them simple and large, so very young children can understand what is going on. I especially liked the illustration of the ducks upside down in the water, all in a row.
May 6, 2016
A mama duck and her darling ducklings go in search of one missing duckling. The illustrations are realistic and quite beautiful. Plus, the missing duckling is "hidden" on each page. Perfect for young children or beginning readers.
October 29, 2008
Very cute, very simple story that went over very well at my Tot-Time program.
January 9, 2014
This is a cute, delightful tale of a mother duck searching for one of her ducklings. It is a story of a duckling who seeks freedom, but only if he/she can keep mother in sight.
March 25, 2026
rating this 5 stars but to be honest, my mom sucked at reading it. Where ARE THE WORDS??? She just kept describing what was going on to me which was cool, I guess but didn’t make for a very good story but that’s my moms fault
December 9, 2017
Have You Seen My Duckling? by Nancy Tafuri is a delightful Caldecott Honor book! Designed with a realistic style, Tafuri crafts a semi-wordless book that details the journey of Mother Duck looking for one of her lost ducklings through seamless images. The illustrations cross the gutter, and the double-page spreads prompts young readers to practice visual literacy. Cleverly hidden in every image is the lost duckling! It is a wonderful use of spot art. Though the medium is not stated, the shading of the animals seem to hint at their creation through colored pencils. The blending is blurry; however, the lines are clean. In addition, the earth-tone colors combine with the organic shapes to accentuate the natural setting. As far as the dust-jacket and end-papers, I believe there could have been more detail added. The dust-jacket just displays Mother Duck and her ducklings. The end-papers are yellow, which plays to the color palette of the ducklings; however, I think the young readers could benefit from more enticing artwork.
Overall, I believe this book is fantastic for pre-schoolers -- especially, those learning to read. It does not do well as a read aloud because there are not necessarily too many words; however, since Christmas is coming up, this would be a great book to gift to children 3-5 years old. As a new aunt, I would love to see my nephew flip through this book. I think children who have a growing interest in animals would love this!
Overall, I believe this book is fantastic for pre-schoolers -- especially, those learning to read. It does not do well as a read aloud because there are not necessarily too many words; however, since Christmas is coming up, this would be a great book to gift to children 3-5 years old. As a new aunt, I would love to see my nephew flip through this book. I think children who have a growing interest in animals would love this!
January 21, 2010
Summary: This children's book has been awarded the Caldecott Honor. It's a very short story about a mother who has lost one of her little ducklings. Throughout the story, she asks the same question to several, different animals, "have you seen my duckling?" Eventually, the little, lost duckling finds his way back to his mother. It is a fantastic book for new readers who like to use their growing imaginations to make their own stories. The children are able to use the detailed illustrations to create a story of their own in this picture book.
Written and illustrated by Nancy Tafuri
Published in 1984 by Tupelo Books
Recommendations/Awards: Caldecott Honor
Audience: Read together or read alone: grades K-1
Genre: Picture book
Illustrations: The illustrations in this story really make the book award winning. Despite the lack of word use, children can interpret what is happening in the story by analyzing the pictures.
Uses: This would be a great book for children to show their creativity. The teacher can read it aloud or the children can read it alone. As they are reading aloud, the teacher could ask the children what they think is happening on each page, or they could work with a partner and tell their partner the story in their own words.
Written and illustrated by Nancy Tafuri
Published in 1984 by Tupelo Books
Recommendations/Awards: Caldecott Honor
Audience: Read together or read alone: grades K-1
Genre: Picture book
Illustrations: The illustrations in this story really make the book award winning. Despite the lack of word use, children can interpret what is happening in the story by analyzing the pictures.
Uses: This would be a great book for children to show their creativity. The teacher can read it aloud or the children can read it alone. As they are reading aloud, the teacher could ask the children what they think is happening on each page, or they could work with a partner and tell their partner the story in their own words.
September 7, 2016
1. Book summary, in your own words (3 pts)
This is a very short children’s book about a mother duck trying to find one of her ducklings. It is a Caldecott Honor Book.
2. Grade level, interest level, lexile (1 pt)
This would be a great book for children in Pre-K to 1st grade. I am sure it would be very interesting for them and the words are very very easy to read.
3. Appropriate classroom use (subject area) (1 pt)
This would be a good book to read aloud to the class at storytime.
4. Individual students who might benefit from reading (1 pt)
Any Pre-K to 1st grade student would be interested in this book; especially children who love animals.
5. Small group use (literature circles) (1 pt)
I do not really see this book being read in literature circles or for small group use.
6. Whole class use (read aloud) (1 pt)
This would definitely be a book that I would read aloud to my students. I think it would be a fun book for them.
7. Related books in genre/subject or content area (1 pt)
Have You Seen My Cat? By Eric Carle
Goodnight, My Duckling by Nancy Tafuri
8. Multimedia connections (audio books, movie) available (1 pt)
I did not find any multimedia connections for this book.
This is a very short children’s book about a mother duck trying to find one of her ducklings. It is a Caldecott Honor Book.
2. Grade level, interest level, lexile (1 pt)
This would be a great book for children in Pre-K to 1st grade. I am sure it would be very interesting for them and the words are very very easy to read.
3. Appropriate classroom use (subject area) (1 pt)
This would be a good book to read aloud to the class at storytime.
4. Individual students who might benefit from reading (1 pt)
Any Pre-K to 1st grade student would be interested in this book; especially children who love animals.
5. Small group use (literature circles) (1 pt)
I do not really see this book being read in literature circles or for small group use.
6. Whole class use (read aloud) (1 pt)
This would definitely be a book that I would read aloud to my students. I think it would be a fun book for them.
7. Related books in genre/subject or content area (1 pt)
Have You Seen My Cat? By Eric Carle
Goodnight, My Duckling by Nancy Tafuri
8. Multimedia connections (audio books, movie) available (1 pt)
I did not find any multimedia connections for this book.
October 31, 2011
This is a nearly wordless book with the story being told almost entirely in the illustrations. The illustration on the title page shows seven ducklings in a nest with an eighth just escaping over the edge of the nest, intent on investigating a moth that just flew by. On the next page you see him swimming away while the others call after him. Besides the text on this page which says "Early one morning..." the only other text in the story is "Have you seen my duckling?" as the mother duck and her seven ducklings search for the runaway duckling, asking various animals on the pond as they search. Children will have fun finding the missing duckling on each page, still chasing the moth. My favorite illustration is when the mother and her seven ducklings each dive underwater and ask some passing fish and a turtle if they have seen the missing duckling.
This Caldecott honor has sweet illustrations and is perfect for young children - even those who aren't yet reading could "read" this story on their own.
This Caldecott honor has sweet illustrations and is perfect for young children - even those who aren't yet reading could "read" this story on their own.
November 26, 2018
This was a book that has always been a part of my childhood although strangely enough there have been lots of duck books. As a result I can remember it and my favorite characters out of the whole book.
My husband was a bit surprised with the price of a secondhand book but as I told him it was due to it is a classic and a hardcover. And then I gave him the tour of this little picture book if you would.
There is basically almost no writing for this book except the main question. Instead the book is a total picture book and uses the whole of the two pages used to tell a story of a mother mallard who upon her return to the nest finds one of her babies missing.
The colors are bright and gentle to the eyes, the bold yet playful duckling makes it a game to the reader who is holding the book and the characters although not anthropomorphized are still able to pass on an emotional depth to the telling.
This book is and always will be a classic to me while I cannot wait to pass it onto the next generation of readers.
My husband was a bit surprised with the price of a secondhand book but as I told him it was due to it is a classic and a hardcover. And then I gave him the tour of this little picture book if you would.
There is basically almost no writing for this book except the main question. Instead the book is a total picture book and uses the whole of the two pages used to tell a story of a mother mallard who upon her return to the nest finds one of her babies missing.
The colors are bright and gentle to the eyes, the bold yet playful duckling makes it a game to the reader who is holding the book and the characters although not anthropomorphized are still able to pass on an emotional depth to the telling.
This book is and always will be a classic to me while I cannot wait to pass it onto the next generation of readers.
January 24, 2020
Sweet board book that has more pictures than words; it's almost a wordless book. And the pictures are gorgeous, truly worthy of the Caldecott Medal nomination.
It's a fun story to read aloud with children, pointing out the hidden duckling and looking at all of the interesting creatures in the story. The images really tell the story.
This book was selected as one of the books for the May 2016- Caldecott Honors discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
It's a fun story to read aloud with children, pointing out the hidden duckling and looking at all of the interesting creatures in the story. The images really tell the story.
This book was selected as one of the books for the May 2016- Caldecott Honors discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
March 7, 2012
Grade Level: Kindergarten - 2nd
This was a great book. I found myself looking for duckling on each page and exploring each page for the types of animals that live in the pond. This book would be perfect to use in animal lesson! As I was reading the book, I was envisioning lessons that could be done and questions I could ask my students as I read the book. There are many possibilities for this book to used in class, even though the book repeated the same phrase over and over again. The phrase was almost secondary to the active role you play while reading the book. You are looking for the duckling!
This was a great book. I found myself looking for duckling on each page and exploring each page for the types of animals that live in the pond. This book would be perfect to use in animal lesson! As I was reading the book, I was envisioning lessons that could be done and questions I could ask my students as I read the book. There are many possibilities for this book to used in class, even though the book repeated the same phrase over and over again. The phrase was almost secondary to the active role you play while reading the book. You are looking for the duckling!
April 15, 2012
This is a easy read book for pre-k and kindergarten. This is a mostly pictures book with the only text asking "have you seen my duckling?" Mama duck has 8 ducklings and 1 followed a butterfly out of the nest. Mama duck asks a bird, a turtle, a beaver, a fish, and another duck if they have seen her missing duckling. Through out the book while mamna duck is asking for her missing duckling, the missing duckling is seen hiding on the same page. Teacher can get their student to point out where missing duckling is hiding.
August 31, 2012
About:
A book with few words. And beautiful illustrations.
Early one morning, a little duckling leaves behind his seven siblings and follows a butterfly, all my himself. The rest of the book is about Mother Duck (with the seven ducklings) going around the pond, looking for him, asking the other pond inhabitants - "Have You Seen My Duckling?".
Thoughts:
One of my little girl's early books, she's delighted to find and point out the lost duckling on each page - hiding behind a tree, a rock, or tufts of grass.
She's also learnt to say "fish", "beaver", "turtle" because of this book.
A book with few words. And beautiful illustrations.
Early one morning, a little duckling leaves behind his seven siblings and follows a butterfly, all my himself. The rest of the book is about Mother Duck (with the seven ducklings) going around the pond, looking for him, asking the other pond inhabitants - "Have You Seen My Duckling?".
Thoughts:
One of my little girl's early books, she's delighted to find and point out the lost duckling on each page - hiding behind a tree, a rock, or tufts of grass.
She's also learnt to say "fish", "beaver", "turtle" because of this book.
April 18, 2014
I had a kindergartener read this one to me during my field experience yesterday. It is a story that contains a great deal of artwork and simple sentences on each page. I kept on imagining pairing this book with a science assignment, as it shows pictures of different pond animals as the mother duck searches for her missing duckling. Many of the animals in the pictures are common to Minnesota and it would be fun to teach different animal types using a story like this one. An excellent read for a k-2 student.
January 28, 2016
Have You Seen My Duckling? has very colorful illustrations. Even though the drawings aren't very detailed, the illustrations make up for it. The illustrations help the children understand the book more. I think the colors help draw the children in and the colors also make the children more focused and they would pay attention more closely to the book. I found this book very interesting because of how colorful the illustrations are. The colors brought me in and I found this book very interesting because of the colors and the illustrations.
August 31, 2016
1985 Caldecott Honor - Favorite Illustration: I like when the duck meets up with the other bird to ask if she's seen the duckling. The little birds piling all over their mother are fun and sweet.
This is a nearly wordless tale of a mother's search for her inquisitive duckling. The simple but detailed drawings follow the duck throughout the pond as she asks several different pond animals if they've seen the duckling. If readers look closely, they can find the wayward baby bird as he follows a butterfly, hides in grass, and under the pier. A fun story for your littles!
This is a nearly wordless tale of a mother's search for her inquisitive duckling. The simple but detailed drawings follow the duck throughout the pond as she asks several different pond animals if they've seen the duckling. If readers look closely, they can find the wayward baby bird as he follows a butterfly, hides in grass, and under the pier. A fun story for your littles!
May 30, 2017
Read-Aloud Revival recommendation for May picture books. At first glance, I wasn't sure about this one. I didn't see many words (other than the oft-repeated, "Have you seen my duckling?"). But, when my kids and I started reading, I understood the appeal as we searched each page for a glimpse of the missing duckling. If your children like search-and-find books, this one's for you. Bonus: it makes for a really fast bedtime read if you're short on time. Or just exhausted. Which is often the case at our house.
May 8, 2009
My kids loved looking for the little duckling on every single page.
October 14, 2018
1. Awards received: Caldecott Medal
2. Appropriate grade level(s): Grades Pre K - K
3. Original summary: The pond animals beaver, bird, fish, and turtle have not seen mother duck's missing duckling. Clever readers will notice that mother's ducks baby is not missing, just adventuring in nature.
4. Original review: A worried mother duck along with her duckings search for one of her lost babies in a pond.
5. 1-2 possible in-class uses: Children will learn about animal babies and parents. Children will learn about being lost and found.
2. Appropriate grade level(s): Grades Pre K - K
3. Original summary: The pond animals beaver, bird, fish, and turtle have not seen mother duck's missing duckling. Clever readers will notice that mother's ducks baby is not missing, just adventuring in nature.
4. Original review: A worried mother duck along with her duckings search for one of her lost babies in a pond.
5. 1-2 possible in-class uses: Children will learn about animal babies and parents. Children will learn about being lost and found.
September 14, 2018
Have You Seen My Duckling is a great wordless story that tells a great story. The story is told with all images, and starts off with the first couple pages when one little duckling wanders off and gets separated from his family. After this, each page has one sentence written on is that says "have you seen my duckling?" This is the mother duck asking every animal she sees if they have seen him. The last few pages end with pictures of the little duckling finding his family and returning home. This story was so easy to understand and it is all because of the illustrations that tell it all. There didn't even have to be any words for me to still understand what was going on, and the author did a great job at doing so. This would be perfect for grades preschool-3rd grade because even though it is a quick and easy ready, they can still use this as a tool in the class if they ever wanted to make their own story using only pictures. They can use this to help them with facial expressions and other key details that help tell the story. Children are always wanting to make their own stories and this is a great way to test their imagination and artistic abilities.
October 5, 2017
I am often perplexed by Nancy Tafuri, because her illustrations are so perfect for babies, but her text is often too long for me to actually share with them in story time. This book, by contrast, is the perfect blend of boldness and color in illustration and simplicity of text. It’s still not a great story time book, since the text is the same on every page, but it would be great for sharing one-on-one with a toddler who can search for the missing duckling on every page. I also love the points of view from which Tafuri draws her pictures. The scene where the ducklings are shown with their heads underwater from the bottom of the pond is perfectly executed and definitely my favorite moment of the entire book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 218 reviews