The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?

The narrating duo of Mo Willems and his 11-year-old daughter, Trixie, captivate the listener. Together, they bring humor and pizzazz to prickly Pigeon's latest insult at the hands of irresistible Duckling. Why does Duckling have a delectable cookie, and Pigeon does not? Is it all about being polite, or is it about manipulation? As Pigeon and Duckling, Mo and Trixie spar with all the intensity of close friends or siblings. With an undercurrent of delight, Mo exaggerates with indignation, and Trixie uses her sweetest, most polite tone. Musical accompaniment adds flair. The production includes an author interview in which Willems shares insider information on his pigeon series and the close connections between the stories and his family life. A.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

Starred review from February 13, 2012
Where an exclamation point conveyed birdy delight in Willems’s The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! this title’s interrobang implies shock at the Duckling’s good fortune. As the sequence opens, the yellow Duckling requests a cookie, receives one immediately, and graciously thanks the unseen provider with a “flappy flip flap!” The Pigeon, whom the Duckling cajoled into sharing a hot dog in the earlier book, soon arrives to express astonishment. Multipanel spreads and emphatic voice balloons reveal his outrage as The Pigeon throws a colossal tantrum (“I ask for things all the time!/ I ask to drive the bus!... I’ve asked for a walrus!... But do I get what I ask for? Noooooo!”). In an unexpected turn, the Duckling gives the Pigeon the entire cookie, shocking the bird (and probably readers, too). Willems packs his punchy dialogue, punctuation, and cartoon visuals with meaning. The Duckling’s dilated blue pupils and wiggling tail suggest studied cuteness, while the Pigeon’s pointy wings and scornful eyelids show comical aggravation. The Duckling’s outward generosity, which hides ulterior motives, ends this exuberant Pigeon installment on a snarky note worthy of Tweety Bird. Ages 2–6.