Ducks Go Vroom

PreS-Gr 1—This level-one reader uses rhyming words to enhance phonemic awareness. It does so with a simple story about all the things that ducks can do ("Ducks slurp/Ducks burp"). The spare text allows for little narration, but picture clues divulge that a duck family is off to visit a loving goose relative, and the day includes activities familiar to young children. The animals embrace, eat lunch, and spend a messy afternoon baking, followed by cleanup and a fond farewell. Concentrated colored backgrounds add to the visual appeal of the pages, which have either black or white text and bright cartoon illustrations. The fact that the ducks use a remote control to operate their TV and talk on a cell phone adds a contemporary touch to this otherwise timeless story. A solid choice for libraries needing entry-level readers.—Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT