Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

From Barnes & Noble

The Barnes & Noble Review
Set in the bustling city of Boston, Make Way for Ducklings first amazed audiences in 1941. Awarded the Caldecott Medal in the same year, this delightful picture book captures the humor and beauty of one special duckling family.

When Mr. and Mrs. Mallard need a proper home to raise a family, they scour all of Boston's prominent spots. However, from Beacon Hill to the State House to Louisburg Square, nothing seems quite right -- until they find a small island in the Charles River that is perfect. After settling in, they take a trip to the park, where they meet a very nice policemen who feds them peanuts.

Soon, Mrs. Mallard has laid her eggs. After keeping them warm and safe, she watches the ducklings hatch, healthy and happy. She teaches them to swim, dive, and walk in a neat line, one behind the other. When she takes her brood out for their first walk into the city streets, cars screech to a halt, and Mrs. Mallard quacks her way across. Luckily, her policeman friend calls for help, and the officers direct traffic to "make way" for the duckling clan.

McClosky's illustrations are brilliant and filled with humor. The details of the ducklings, along with the popular sights of Boston, come across wonderfully. The image of the entire family proudly walking in line is a classic. Revisit this timeless tale with this splendid 60th anniversary edition, which also features a commemorative author bookplate to celebrate the occasion. (Amy Barkat)

From the Publisher

The busy Boston streets are too dangerous for eight little ducklings! But with a little help from a friendly policeman Mrs. Mallard and her family arrive safely at their new home. The public garden was no place for ducklings when they were first born, but now they are old enough to brave the raucous crowds and swim with the giant swan boats. Available for the first time in a full-size paperback edition, this Caldecott winning classic continues to delight generations of children

Children's Literature

The quaint story of the mallard family's search for the perfect place to hatch ducklings. Once the ducklings learn to walk in a straight line, they stroll past famous Boston landmarks into the Public Garden. For more than fifty years kids have been entertained by this warm and wonderful story. It has been reissued in paper and packaged with an audiotape for the current generation. 1942 Caldecott Medal.

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