Call number
E D
Collection
Genres
Publication
Candlewick (2012), 32 pages
Description
On her way to school, a young girl spots mallard ducks in the river and enthusiastically describes their appearance, habits, and behavior. Interspersed throughout the pages are facts about ducks.
User reviews
LibraryThing member debnance
I discover the amazing Nicola Davies for the first time this year when I read her Cybils nominee Dolphin Baby. Davies wows me with her writing. Dolphin Baby is wonderful.
Then what do I learn? Not one Nicola Davies title is up for the Cybils nonfiction picture book award but two! How can they do
And Just Ducks is wonderful. Davies brings you into the world of ducks with a "Quack-quuuack, quack-quaack, quack" that begins the book. And you are there. With ducks. A nonfiction story every big as mesmerizing as any fiction tale and it's just about ducks. Just ducks.
Love this book.
Then what do I learn? Not one Nicola Davies title is up for the Cybils nonfiction picture book award but two! How can they do
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this to me? Pitting Wonderful against Equally Wonderful. And Just Ducks is wonderful. Davies brings you into the world of ducks with a "Quack-quuuack, quack-quaack, quack" that begins the book. And you are there. With ducks. A nonfiction story every big as mesmerizing as any fiction tale and it's just about ducks. Just ducks.
Love this book.
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LibraryThing member Sullywriter
Appealing and informative.
LibraryThing member JenJ.
Lovely exploration of fun facts about ducks! Very much like Davies' Surprising Sharks, this also reminds me of the Nic Bishop books but with illustrations instead of photos. Davies takes us through a day in the life of ducks on a suburban or city river as seen by a little girl who clearly loves
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them. Beside the girl's narration there are little snippets of information and facts about ducks printed in a smaller, slightly different, but complementary font. Rubbino's illustrations are officially mixed media according to the artist's note, but look like gorgeous, soft watercolors. The muted palette of greens, blues, yellows and browns bring to mind the kind of rainy days that ducks find glorious. Lots of white space allows the eye to focus on the ducks themselves in all their goofy charm. Backmatter includes an index and a brief note with even more information about ducks. I have a weakness for well designed books with fun facts about animals and this falls right in that spot. Charming! Show Less
LibraryThing member matthewbloome
Easily one of the best Davies books I've read in quite a while. Loved it.
LibraryThing member mirikayla
This book should almost be nonfiction instead of fiction... In fact I'm not sure why it's not. There's very little story, and mostly just educational text about ducks. Nice illustrations, but not super engaging.
LibraryThing member stephiewonder
This book has charming illustrations and contains interesting facts about ducks, as told by a young girl who is the narrator. I would love it... if only the author did not describe duck mating pairs as "boyfriend and girlfriend" (they are not humans!) and then immediately go on to mention how male
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mallards sometimes get too excited and physically attack/gang up on female mallards. It's duck mating behavior, not girlfriend and boyfriend behavior... this feels significant to note, and makes it the kind of book I would not leave on a shelf for a child to read uncritically. Show Less
Awards
USBBY Outstanding International Book (Grades K-2 — 2013)
AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books (Finalist — 2013)
North Carolina Children's Book Award (Nominee — Picture Book — 2014)
Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration (Shortlist — 2013)
Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award (Nominee — 2014)
Notable Children's Book (2013)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Kids (Informational Books for Younger Readers — 2012)
Pages
32
ISBN
0763659363 / 9780763659363