Mr. Duck Means Business

November 29, 2010
Mr. Duck enjoys solitude and follows a strict routine in his pond. "At precisely 8:01, he would glide across the perfectly still water," flanked by hand-painted signs that read "No Visitors Welcome" and "Don't Even Think About It." Everything changes one day when a pig does a cannonball off the dock, disrupting the tranquillity. "Mr. Duck all set to give Pig a strongly worded speech regarding private property," when a delighted cow dives in, too, followed by a goat, horse, and chickens. Mack (Hush Little Polar Bear) plays up both the barnyard crew's aquatic glee (at one point the pig and cow do a synchronized swimming routine) as well as Mr. Duck's party-pooper reactions. Amid the festivities, a fuzzy yellow peep finally notices Duck's displeasure: "Perhaps we've overstayed our welcome." Mr. Duck resumes his routine, but, predictably, feels lonesome. He paints a revised sign allowing "noise" for two set hours every afternoon. The animals' merriment is always tangible, yet the fuddy-duddy's new regulations don't really redeem his preceding grumpiness. Even with his late-in-the-game compromise, Mr. Duck is never quite likable. Ages 4–8.

December 1, 2010

Mr. Duck enjoys his solitude and his schedule. 6:00: stretch. 7:00: fluff feathers. 8:01: "glide across the perfectly still water"...until one day cattails obscure the "NO" in his "NO VISITORS WELCOME" sign, and Pig cannonballs in for some fun. "Mr. Duck sputtered. He muttered. He tail-a-fluttered." Pig doesn't get the message. Before Duck can really state his case, Cow dives in for some synchronized water ballet. Mr. Duck tries to let them know just how he feels about the intrusion, but they're joined by Goat, Sheep, Horse, Mouse, Chicken and ten chicks! "[T]he peace and quiet? It. Was. Gone." Mr. Duck snaps, and they finally get it. But after everyone leaves, the quiet eventually gets to him, so he comes up with a plan to save his alone time and still have fun with new friends. Sauer's dour and disciplined duck and his rhyming hissy fits will most definitely entertain. Mack's furry and feathered wide-eyed animals rendered in ebullient acrylic are a great match for this fine farmyard fable. (Picture book. 4-8)

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January 1, 2011

PreS-Gr 2-A self-proclaimed introvert, Mr. Duck happily entertains himself and finds his pond perfect for a solitary life. One day, however, the neighborhood animals, uninvited, invade his territory; soon Pig, Cow, Goat, and others are reveling in a splashing, crashing, boisterous manner. Mr. Duck demands that they leave and they do (with proper apologies). Soon, however, he finds that solitude is not so great after all. Rethinking the situation, Mr. Duck finds a way to make time for himself and to enjoy his newfound friends. Sauer's clever use of language-"Mr. Duck grumbled. He mumbled. He flip-flop-fumbled"-will engage children and help soften the getting-along message in a humorous and likable way. Mack picks up on this note, filling the pages with color and action. The expressive characters (especially Mr. Duck) provide amusing touches in illustrations that sprawl across the pages. A pleasing book that offers a viable avenue for discussion about how sometimes compromise is the best way to go.-Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA

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