Make Way for Ducklings

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Summary: Outstanding
Review: I am a student at West Virginia State College and taking a Childrens lit. class. Make way for ducklings is a delightful book and i strongly reccommend it to children of all ages. It's nice to read a book like this that is simple and sweet that all children can enjoy.

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Summary: My favorite story when I was little
Review: I have to give this book five stars for being my absolute favorite book when I was little. I used to make my mom read it to me over and over, I must have heard it a million times! I grew up near Boston and you can see real places in Boston in some of the pictures. If you are a kid or a parent with kids you definitely need this book, especially if you are in or near Boston. I haven't read it in a long time (I'm 16 now) but I can still picture all the pictures.

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Summary: A Home for Ducklings
Review: I thought the book was a great book for children, parents and teachers. It is a book that could allow children to see the love, and time spent by parents in choosing a home for a family. The relationship that the ducks have with officer Micheal is a wonderful lesson for children to learn about the people in their community that could help them in a time of trouble or someone that could just become a great friend.

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Summary: Make Way for Ducklings
Review: Make Way For Ducklings
by Robert McCloskey
The Viking Press

Imagine yourself as a mother duck, flying over Boston looking for a place to rest and lay your eggs, but you are very very particular about where you land. Considering that Boston is a busy place, would you want to raise a family there? This is what this story is all about. Make
Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey is a Realistic Fiction and Fantasy book for young and old readers. It takes place in the air when Mr. and Mrs. Mallard are looking for a place to land. Mr. Mallard finds very nice spots but Mrs. Mallard is not satisfied. She says she doesn't want to raise a family  where there might be foxes in the woods or turtles in the pond. They fly on for awhile until they reach Boston. The Mallards are very tired and fly down for the night on a small island near the park. In the morning they hunt for food in the bottom of the river but don't have a lot of luck. Soon their luck turns good when a boat carrying a load of people has the people throw peanuts to them to fill their empty stomachs. Mr. Mallard and Mrs. Mallard decided that they would like to nest there, until a boy riding a bike zips by Mr. Mallard and almost runs him over. Now will the Mallards decide to stay or will they leave forever?

There are 3 main characters (or 11 counting all the ducklings) Mrs. Mallard, Mr. Mallard, their ducklings, and Michael the policeman. Mrs. Mallard is a mother duck, that thinks a lot about  her kids' future, which I think makes a great mother. She is very independent and proud
about things she accomplishes and does. She loves her family and her husband very much and hopes for a pleasant future. She also loves her human friend, Michael, who is loving to the Mallard family. Mr. Mallard is the father duck. He is a loving and caring dad who sometimes gets annoyed with his wife when it comes to finding new nesting ground. Mr. Mallard helps take care of the young with his wife but also likes to venture off to see the surrounding area. Michael, the policeman, is the family friend. Everyday they go and visit him for peanuts. Michael also does great deeds for them by helping them cross the street carefully. He loves his little family friends.

I recommend this book to all readers, because it is a short story and it will not take a long time out of your day to read it. It is a heartwarming book that you can imagine what is happening without looking at the illustrations. The illustrations are so detailed that you can understand the story without actually reading the words. You can actually go to Boston and see statues of Mrs. Mallard and her ducklings walking to the pond at the public garden, which my family and I did this summer. I connected to the story when I saw the big swan boat carrying  people, just as the Mallards saw them, too. I think the boat and statues are cool. Anyone can enjoy this book because it's made for all ages!!  

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Summary: Make Way for Ducklings
Review: Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey is probably one of my favorite children's books. I grew up with this in my bookshelf and have not thrown it away since. Made in 1941, renewed in 1969, and then again in 2002, it has still remained a cherished book. That's pretty good for a book made such a long time ago.
The book describes how a mother and father duck look for a safe spot to hatch their ducklings. They fly all around the woods, the pond, Beacon Hill, the State House, Louisburg Square, and finally, finding a nice cozy spot to hatch the eggs, the Public Garden. They make friends with the police man, Michael.
I think the book would be my choice to share with other children because it teaches the concept of making the right choice...such as you wouldn't want to live in a place that's dirty and smoky... for example around Beacon Hill and The State House. Also, they make friends with the Policeman, Michael, and other characters in the book. This book has been a classic for almost 45 years now, and I'm sure it will continue to be one for many years to come.

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Summary: A Classic Every Child Should Hear!
Review: McCloskey's books were read to me as a child, and I loved them. This book was a favorite of mine as a library media specialist and is now a favorite of my children as well. I had the opportunity to meet the author and hear him tell of observing live ducklings in his studio/apt. when he was doing the illustrations because he wanted to draw them accurately. Children whom I've shared it with (they number in the 1000s)love the delightful rhyming names of the ducklings. I've given it as a gift many times as well! Enjoy!

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Summary: Thanks, Mrs. Ross
Review: Mrs. Ross, my grammar school librarian imprinted this story into the memory of every child who went through Beecher School. She had a great tall figure and a booming husky voice, and her duck characters were the best. You could picture the ducks waddling across the street as she read. Then she'd hold up the pages, and confirm our wild imaginings. All my school friends no doubt read this classic to their children thanks to the introduction made by a school librarian who was a character all by herself. What a proud legacy. My own kids have outgrown picture books, but they wouldn't be without this one. Neither should you. Alyssa A. Lappen

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Summary: Great Childhood Memories!
Review: My parents read this book to me when I was young. It is my favorite book ever. I would place this book among Goodnight Moon and the Velveteen Rabbit as the best children's books ever written. I plan on keeping this book for many years to read to my children and grandchildren. Then maybe, when ever they see a mother duck and her babies, they will think of the kind-faced officer, stopping traffic for them to cross the street, just as I do now.

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Summary: Familiar and Different, Old and New
Review: Old-time downtown Boston and an old-time policeman, who kindly befriends the ducks, are brought back to life with Robert McCloskey`s simple and clean drawings and engaging text, hearkening us to a slower and gentler time. Yet these things still happen in the world today. Every once in a while on the News, here in Japan, we`ll see a feature on wild animals dealing with city life, including ducks in a similar situation to the Mallard family in this timeless and timely story. The boys take pleasure from hearing the tale of the ducks and their search for a suitable home, especially when they know such things actually happen.

Rating:
Summary: A McCloskey Classic
Review: Robert McCloskey's classic children's book, Make Way for Ducklings is just as delightful in the year 2002 as it was back when it was first published in 1941. The timeless story of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard and their eight adorable ducklings is still a fun read for children and parents alike. The story begins as the prospective parents search for a new home suitable for raising their young ones. Mrs. Mallard is clearly the expert in this endeavor and Mr. Mallard is quite relieved when she finally settles on a spot that is not too dangerous or noisy for their young family. The couple make themselves quite at home on a little island in the Charles River of Boston, a quiet oasis within the busy city. Soon the ducklings hatch and Mrs. Mallard sets about teaching them all they need to know in order to live in the city. By now they have made good friends with some of their human neighbors, especially Michael, the policeman. When the family makes its first trip into the city, Michael calls for backup and literally stops traffic all along their path. The people the Mallards encounter are just as pleased to see the ducks as the Mallards are to be there. The reader leaves the family settling comfortably for the night after a day of happily following the Swan boats in the park and eating the peanunts tossed their way. The charm of this book lies in both the heartwarming story and th realistic but idyllic illustrations. McCloskey is quite gifted at portraying the natural world to children in a way that is authentic and familiar. Most children have seen duck families in a nearby pond and witnessed the way the ducklings learn about the world by waddling along after their parents. The sketched illustrations add to the natural feeling of the book. The depiction of the ducks is terrific because they are visually expressive but still look like ducks. Another engaging facet of the story is the positive interaction between animals and humans. The Mallards find a way to live comfortably within a city full of people and their human neighbors are welcoming and accommodating. Overall, this a warm and timeless book. It is just perfect for a parent and child to read together or for a teacher to read to a classroom of younger kids. This is a good selection for children aged 3 to 7.