KEEP UP, DUCK!

Puck the duck keeps falling behind.

Mamma Duck and her little ones are swimming to the lily pond. Puck, a scruffy straggler with brown splotches on his back that differentiate him from his siblings, becomes distracted by all the wonderful sights and sounds along the way. Armed with only “downy wings and tiny feet,” Puck can’t keep up. Dazzled by pastel paddle boats, pedestrians, and playful puppies, Puck is gently scolded by Mamma to “keep up, Duck!” several times and must come up with clever ways to catch up. Ultimately, plucky Puck is appropriately puckish and with a “Hop! Hop! Hop! Plop!” finds a creative and deeply satisfying solution. Sweet watercolor and colored pencil artwork accompanies rhythmically paced prose from Ivan Bates and the late Rachel Bates. Richly illustrated spreads set the scene, and whimsical panels chop up the action, with Puck hop-hopping his way across the pages to plop back into place with the other ducks. Adorable ducklings and a sense of urgency but a distinct lack of any danger keep the stakes compelling but not concerning, and the combination of fun sound effects and sweet visuals will keep readers entertained—especially those lucky enough to hear this tale read aloud.

Lighthearted, onomatopoetic fare.