THE CAN DO DUCK

A duckling is afraid to try new things but learns how to make plans in this children’s picture book.

Little One, a newly hatched duck, lacks the courage to attempt things it's never done, including walking and swimming. Its mother points out advantages of learning new skills, and teaches Little One a simple method: “First say, I can. / Then make a plan. / Get right to it. / And then you’ll do it!” Every time, Little One discovers that when it envisions success and imagines fun, it’s easy to learn to walk, swim, and fly—even if it takes a few tries. Little One goes on to attempt horseback riding and ice skating as well as new languages and earns a new name: “Can Do.” The text is by child psychiatrist Morty Sosland (Can Do and Friends to the Rescue, 2013, etc.); Esther Deblinger (Trauma-Focused CBT for Children and Adolescents, 2019, etc.), his wife, is a clinical psychologist who contributes teacher and parent guidelines for using the book. Many kids need help tackling new challenges, and the book provides helpful modeling of a process for planning, visualizing, and achieving success in kid-friendly language. The appealing illustrations by Sarah Sosland have cartoony charm, nicely capturing Can Do’s activities and expressions, as when the duck is determined to learn to fly.

Positive advice for helping kids set and meet personal goals.