Hey, Duck!

PreS-Gr 1—The "duck" of the title is actually a cat, a fact that children will immediately recognize. But the duckling calling out to the feline still insists on calling it a duck and wanting to be friends. In spite of his persistent badgering, the cat politely refuses to join the little guy in dancing the puddle stomp. But after napping, the cat suddenly has a change of heart and decides to befriend the duckling after all. Bramsen's rhyming text is accompanied by bright illustrations in a pastoral setting. The detailed drawings are lovely-every blade of grass, flower petal, piece of tree bark, drop of splashed water, yellow fuzz on the duckling, and strand of white, black, and brown fur on the cat is meticulously rendered. Duckling displays several priceless facial expressions, although the cat doesn't look nearly as annoyed as it sounds. However, the story is slight, and the cat's decision to become the duckling's playmate is unconvincing. An additional offering.—Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT