Daredevil Duck

PreS-Gr 2—Daredevil Duck is the bravest duck around…or at least, he would like to be. Although he is afraid of everything, from leaves to puddles, he never stops imagining that he will be courageous one day. While he is daydreaming about being brave, a friendly mole approaches him, and after an initial panic attack, Daredevil Duck agrees to help the mole catch his wayward balloon, which is stuck in a tree. Alder uses partial page flaps to good advantage to show the changing scenes, like a branch snapping in half as the protagonist climbs the tree or Daredevil Duck seeing himself in the mirror as cool and fearless, as opposed to how he actually appears, meek and awkward. This page layout may not hold up well to repeated readings but does add an interactive element that kids will enjoy. The illustrations are basic but match the lighthearted mood of the piece. In the end, kids will cheer for Daredevil Duck as he finally finds his courage in this simple story.