ELLA THE SWINGING DUCK

A scat-singing duckling sets out in search of soul mates in this Dutch/Belgian import.

Waddling and warbling to her own rhythms, little yellow Ella seems a silly duck to her dignified parents (one white, the other a mallard) and sibs Wolfgang, Ludwig, Hildegard, Johan-Sebastian, Clara-Belle, and Amadeus. Is there anyone who will sing and swing with her? Not the dove (“I only sing alone”) nor the croaking frog choir, alas—but what’s this? Out of the reeds comes a “Doo daa dee” to echo her own! It’s a young (what else?) trumpeter swan who introduces himself as Dizzy: “Everybody teases me because I like to blast with my bill.” “I like your blast!” responds Ella, and in no time the tuneful twosome has the whole wild woodland crew, ducks and all, kicking up its heels with a “Quack quack doobee daa!” Berenschot sticks to brush work and subdued colors, which give her generally low-angled pondside scenes a mildly hazy, antique look reminiscent of mid-20th-century illustration. Though on a few pages the narrative blocks look too small, on others manipulation of type size and weight adds to the tale’s jazzy bounce. And even though the nods to musical greats of the past may go over the heads of younger audiences, the notion that sweet harmonies have the power to move both feet and spirits is timeless.

A high-stepping tribute to friendships, musical and otherwise.