Annotated Booklist of Children's Literature
Title: Make Way for Ducklings
Author: Robert McCloskey
Illustrator: Robert McCloskey
Publisher: The Viking Press
Date of Publication: 1941
Genre: Picture Book
Short Synopsis:
Mr. and Mrs. Mallard fly north to look for a place to live. Their first choice is the Public Garden in Boston, but when Mrs. Mallard is almost run over by a bike she decides that it is not a good place to bring up a family. They finally decide on a spot on the Charles River and meet a Policeman called Michael who feeds them. Mrs. Mallard lays eight eggs. Mr. Mallard then decides to explore the rest of the river and agreed to meet the whole family the following week in the Public Garden. When the ducklings are born Mrs. Mallard teaches them to swim and dive and to follow in a straight line so she can take them to meet their father in the Public Garden. As they wade ashore and start to cross the road, the cars begin to honk their horns. The ducklings respond to this by quacking at them. Michael sees what is happening and stops the traffic so the ducklings can cross the road. Once they are across, he contacts other police officers to help him hold traffic to make way for the ducklings so that Mrs. Mallard and her family are able to cross the street safely into the Public Garden. Mrs. Mallard and the ducklings then swim across the pond across to the little island where they found Mr. Mallard waiting for them. The ducklings like their new island so much that they decide to live there.
Personal Response:
• Did this book resonate with you? If so, in what ways? If not, why not? I enjoyed reading this book as an adult, remembering it from childhood. Reading it as an adult, I realize the some of the lessons I learned as a child such as following instructions from my mother for example.
• Would you recommend this book? If so, to whom and why? If not, why not? I would highly recommend this book to preschool and early education teachers who are looking
Author: Robert McCloskey
Illustrator: Robert McCloskey
Publisher: The Viking Press
Date of Publication: 1941
Genre: Picture Book
Short Synopsis:
Mr. and Mrs. Mallard fly north to look for a place to live. Their first choice is the Public Garden in Boston, but when Mrs. Mallard is almost run over by a bike she decides that it is not a good place to bring up a family. They finally decide on a spot on the Charles River and meet a Policeman called Michael who feeds them. Mrs. Mallard lays eight eggs. Mr. Mallard then decides to explore the rest of the river and agreed to meet the whole family the following week in the Public Garden. When the ducklings are born Mrs. Mallard teaches them to swim and dive and to follow in a straight line so she can take them to meet their father in the Public Garden. As they wade ashore and start to cross the road, the cars begin to honk their horns. The ducklings respond to this by quacking at them. Michael sees what is happening and stops the traffic so the ducklings can cross the road. Once they are across, he contacts other police officers to help him hold traffic to make way for the ducklings so that Mrs. Mallard and her family are able to cross the street safely into the Public Garden. Mrs. Mallard and the ducklings then swim across the pond across to the little island where they found Mr. Mallard waiting for them. The ducklings like their new island so much that they decide to live there.
Personal Response:
• Did this book resonate with you? If so, in what ways? If not, why not? I enjoyed reading this book as an adult, remembering it from childhood. Reading it as an adult, I realize the some of the lessons I learned as a child such as following instructions from my mother for example.
• Would you recommend this book? If so, to whom and why? If not, why not? I would highly recommend this book to preschool and early education teachers who are looking