Product Description

"One of the merriest picture-books . . . told in very few words with a gravity that underscores the delightful comedy of the pictures--fine large pictures, strongly drawn, with a wealth of detail".--The New York Times. A Caldecott Award winner.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11814 in Books
• Published on: 1941-01-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 68 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780670451494
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Amazon.com Review
It's not easy for duck parents to find a safe place to bring up their ducklings, but during a rest stop in Boston's Public Garden, Mr. and Mrs. Mallard think they just might have found the perfect spot--no foxes or turtles in sight, plenty of peanuts from pleasant passers-by, and the benevolent instincts of a kindly police officer to boot. Young readers will love the mother duck's proud, loving protection of her wee webbed ones, and those with fond memories of Boston will enjoy familiar locales, from Beacon Hill to Louisburg Square, and over the Charles River--often from a duck's-eye view. Robert McCloskey, creator of Blueberries for Sal, never fails to elicit happy story-time giggles from youngsters, and his soft, brown-toned, Caldecott-winning illustrations make this gentle world come alive. (Ages 3 to 8) --Karin Snelson

About the Author
Robert McCloskey won the Caldecott Medal in 1941 for Make Way for Ducklings and again in 1952 for Time of Wonder, making him the first illustrator to win two Caldecott Awards. Declared a Living Legend by the Library of Congress in 2000, Mr. McCloskey has created a host of well-loved children's books, including Homer Price, Lentil, Blueberries for Sal, Time of Wonder, and One Morning in Maine.

Customer Reviews

A Timeless Story for All Ages!
Children naturally are interested in understanding a parent's perspective on the family. Mr. and Mrs. Mallard's search for a safe home for their future family makes a wonderful story for children and parents to explore and understand more about parental love. Although the book has a 4-8 age reading level, younger children enjoy having it read to them (based on the experiences of my four children). The illustrations are terrific and draw the child's interest very easily. Older children like to reread the story because of its comfortable connection to their more youthful years and reinforcement of their sense of being wanted, loved, and belonging.

To me, the best part of the book is that the locations are actually easy to find in Boston. So if you live in the Boston area or ever come here, you can also take your children to experience the story. I know my younger daughter thought that her first Swan boat ride in the Public Garden was the ultimate moment in her life (up to that point). She kept wanting to know which duck was Mrs. Mallard, and which one was Mr. Mallard. Then she wanted to spot Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack (my favorite name in the book), Pack, and Quack. I had a ball! There are also statues of Mrs. Mallard and her 8 offspring that the children can touch. There's also an annual parade that you can participate in.

If you don't know the story, here's a summary: Mr. and Mrs. Mallard were looking for a place to live where they could raise a family safely. Whenever Mr. Mallard found someplace he liked, Mrs. Mallard worried about foxes and turtles. Finally they got to the pond in the Public Garden in Boston, and were too tired to go on. So they spent the night on the little island there. The next morning they could not find much food, until the people on the Swan boats began to throw them peanuts. But the Mallards were almost run over by a bicycle, so they felt they needed a safer place. They tried several, but each had a drawback. Finally, they found an island in the Charles River not far from the Public Garden that met all their requirements. Michael, the policeman, fed them peanuts. Soon, Mrs. Mallard laid 8 eggs, and stayed to hatch them. After the ducklings were born, they learned to swim and walk single file behind their Mother. One day, she walked them towards the Public Garden. But they could not get across the highway. Michael spotted them and stopped the traffic so they could cross. He called Clancy at the station and told him to send a car to help Mrs. Mallard and the ducklings cross at the Public Garden. When in the pond there, they met Mr. Mallard on the little island. They decided to live there, and followed the Swan boats for peanuts after that.

I have enjoyed reading this story and reading it to children for almost 30 years. I look forward to reading it to my grandchildren when the time comes. It has also been my favorite book to give as a gift to new parents.

Enjoy the wonderful gift of warm family feeling in this book, and leave your stalled thinking about your cares and worries behind. It will remind you what is really important in your life!

Quack quack waddle waddle, quack quack waddle waddle
A tip of the hat, one and all, to Mr. Robert McCloskey. The father of the delicately shaded picture book, his stories always contain simple plots and a bundle of warmth. "Make Way For Ducklings" (which battles with "Blueberries For Sal" for the title Best-Known-McCloskey-Story) is one of the author's strongest efforts. Bringing elements of rural and urban life together, it not only tells a great tale but remains timeless in its telling.

The story follows Mr. & Mrs. Mallard, a realistically portrayed duck couple. No animals in funny clothes here. The two settle on a small metropolitan island to lay their eggs. Once hatched it's up to Mrs. Mallard and her troop to walk to their new home in the central park with the help of their local police force.

In the sixty some odd years since its publication, "Make Way For Ducklings" has remained exactly the same. The closest it comes to dating itself (aside from the stately cars and "lending library") is that Mr. Mallard abandons his family to fly ahead to the save island. That's one way of looking at it. Another way is to point out that Mrs. Mallard is a capable mother who knows exactly how to lead her small brood. The book is fun, diverting, and illustrated beautifully. It does not pretend to be anything it isn't. It is the classic above all other classics. And it is McCloskey's greatest invention.

Make Way for Duckllings is truly a Cauldecott Medal Winner.
The Cauldecott Medal is given to those childrens' books with outstanding illustrations. In "Make Way for Ducklings" Robert McCloskey has captured the personalities of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard's brood of duclkings from first hatch to the time they must go from the Charles River to the Boston Gardens. He has created the setting for a wonderful introduction to the world of ducks in the big city, and this book gives the reader the opportunity to ask questions about how birds really raise their families, or where exactly is Boston? So, it presents an opportunity to discuss nature, geography, birds, or even the hazards of living in a big city, when you are a duck. I used this book when I taught 2nd grade as an introduction to a bird unit. I also read it to my own children, over and over. A most higly recommended piece of children's literature!