JUST DUCKY

Here is a review of children's books that I wrote this month for a local rag, the Ohio Valley Parent.

The hot, humid days of summer have got me looking for relief—something cool and wet, maybe a cold drink, or a dip in the pool. At the end of a long, hot day my solace can be found in the tub with my favorite friend, Rubber Ducky. Here are a few books in his honor!

10 Rubber Duckies by William B. Winburn, August 2005. Brand new this summer is this book for the youngest bathers. 10 rubber duckies sitting on the tub. They all move over, and one falls in: glub, glub, glub. This delightful twist on the popular song follows nine sunny yellow duckies, and a bright blue one as they dive, fall, plop, and drop into the water. It's all charmingly photographed from a variety of interesting angles in a sweetly old-fashioned tiled bathroom--even the toy ducks seem alive and expressive as they fall in and float. It's absolutely perfect for bathtime--and will surely entice reluctant young bathers into the tub.

Oh, Ducky! by David Slonim, 2003. Take one candy machine, one nutty inventor, one handyman, and one rubber duck. Mix well with chocolate and—Ohhhhhhh, Ducky!—you have one delicious adventure. When a rubber duck gets stuck in the chocolate-making machine, Mr. Peters dons his diving suit to investigate the pipes and swims through chocolate sharks, ships and sea chests to save the day. Soon everyone in the town is celebrating the Yum, Yum Chocolate Duckies with a big parade. This wildly nonsensical story should appeal to the younger set, with sly cartoon illustrations delineating plenty of amusing action on every part of each and every page.

In 1992, a large crate of bathtub toys traveling from Hong Kong to Tacoma, Washington, was lost at sea. Since then, hundreds of the toys have washed ashore, with scientists recording their positions, plotting their courses, and using the information to further their study of currents, winds, and tides. Two children’s book creators take this event and retell the tale in two very different ways.

10 Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle, 2005. Carle distills the story to create a counting/concept adventure. It begins at a factory where assembly-line workers are painting details onto bright yellow rubber ducks. The toys are then loaded onto a freighter destined for faraway countries. During a storm, 10 rubber ducks fall into the sea. Each one floats in a different direction - west, east, north, south, left, right, up, down, this way, and that way - and encounters a different animal (a dolphin, seal, polar bear, etc.). The 10th one meets a mother duck with her offspring and bobs along with them to their nest. The ducks all bid "Good night" to one another with a "Quack," while the newcomer says "Squeak!" (Children can press the page to hear a squeak.) Carle's signature cut-paper collages burst with color, texture, light, and motion, delighting the eye and bringing out the text's nuances.

Ducky by Eve Bunting, 1997. A yellow plastic duck narrates the story of his adventures on the ocean after a ship's crate loaded with bathtub toys is washed overboard. Along with some of the other toys, the duck is swallowed by a shark, then spit out even though he and his companions are "guaranteed nontoxic." Gradually, the toys are separated by wind and wave, and the duck journeys alone for months. Eventually, he is picked up by a schoolboy and logged in by scientists. An author's note explains the real-life incident that gave rise to the story as well as the science connection. David Wisniewski, Caldecott Medal winner, uses cut paper to capture all the crash and motion of the ocean, and his effects are so vivid that children will need to touch the pages to make sure they are actually smooth. The bold illustrations and exciting action make the book a great story hour pick.