Mr. and Mrs. Mallard begin this tale with a search for a place to raise their ducklings. No place will do for Mrs. Mallard and after a false start, a close encounter with a bike, and a flight over Boston, they settle on an island in the Charles River. The tale ends with Mrs. Mallard's and the 8 ducklings march through Boston aided by friendly police officers. Once to the Public Garden, the ducklings and Mrs. Mallard live a happy life filled with peanuts with Mr. Mallard. The tales charcole drawings show talent and give enormous vale to this tale of family and kindness. The pictures are charming and detaled and are worthy of the Caldecott they won McClosky. This is not the standard 32 page picture book by any means. It provides readers with more food for thought (what does our world really look like from an animal's point of view?) and beauty. My favorite drawing in the book is the one where Mr. Mallard almost gets hit by the boy on the bike. The boy is completely oblivious to the harm he almost caused!
This book is the winner of one of two Caldecotts for McClusky and has sold over 2 million copies. When published, the New York Times provided raving reviews. Also, this is the official children's book of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. There is even a bronze statue of Mrs. Mallard in the Public Garden in Boston. All of this combined mak
es me wonder: How did my mother not read me this book as a child. I loved animals and being outside. This book would have been one that I loved!
es me wonder: How did my mother not read me this book as a child. I loved animals and being outside. This book would have been one that I loved!There are so many learning opportunties with this book. On a teacher's level, a kindergarten teacher having trouble with classroom management could use this book to teach children the importance of following directions and about lining up. Children will most likely point out that the ducks look real and can learn some great vocabulary (molt and migration). Because the book it longer than the standard 32 pages, it will take longer to read aloud in story time. However, it will keep children engaged because it is fast pased.
If I were a teacher or a librarian in Boston, this would be an important part of my teaching. Field trip opportunties abound. Most picture books are set ina fictional place. Thus, this one is different and remembered for over 70 years because of the unique setting.
I've included some links and books that will help you to find the opinons of others and comments of the career of Robert McCloskey.
McCloskey, Jane. Robert McCloskey: A Private Life in Words and Pictures. Seapoint Books. ISBN: 978-0-9786899-6-4
Reference
McCloskey, Robert. Make Way for Ducklings. New York: Viking Press, 1941
ISBN: 0-670-45149-5
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment