Duck’s Ditty – Kenneth Grahame, illustrated by Alex Willmore, Flowerpot Press, 9781486718153, 2020
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 5
Genre: Picture Book
What did you like about the book? There is a part in The Wind in the Willows where Rat is sitting along the pond’s edge watching all the ducks. It is during this time that he comes up with the “Duck’s Ditty”, a cute little song about how ducks do things differently than other birds. This picture book is a little story made from that song. The ducks are basically very happy just doing their own thing, even if it is very different from other birds. They like to put their heads deep in the water with their tails high in the air. They prefer to sit in areas that are cool, calm, and quiet. All this is in contrast to other birds that like to fly high in the air. The illustrations provided by Alex Willmore (illustrator of many wonderful children’s books including AdoraBULL) make this book a complete delight to read.
Anything you did not like about the book. Nothing
To whom would you recommend this book? This book is perfect for children between the ages of one and three. The rhyming text and silly pictures will be sure to please even the youngest of children. If young children are drawn to rhyming books such as Moo, Baa, La La La, Sheep In A Jeep, and Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site, this book would appeal to them.
Who should buy this book? Public libraries, preschools, daycare centers, anyone that works with children between the ages of one and three.
Where would you shelve it? Picture books
Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Yes
Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City: Kristin Guay, former youth services librarian.
Date of review: November 19, 2019
Youth Services Book Review 
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