Just a Duck?

PreS-Gr 1—The characters introduced in Bramsen's Hey Duck! (Random, 2013) are back for another tale about friendship. This time, instead of mistaking the cat for a duck, the duckling decides that he is a cat and wants to act like his feline friend. Duck manages to slink through the grass like a cat, but can't manage to climb a tree since he has no claws. When the cat accidentally falls into a lake and is stranded on a log, duck makes the most of his waterfowl abilities by swimming to his buddy and pushing him back to land. Both animals discover they are happy to be just what they are. Bramsen's meticulously rendered illustrations are once again the most outstanding feature. Readers can practically feel the texture of the furry cat, fuzzy duck, silky grass, rough tree bark, and each drop of splashed water. The animals' expressions are mostly playful, but change to confused, surprised, or worried as appropriate. An assortment of full-page images, spreads, and smaller wordless panels varies the design. The simple rhyme is printed in large letters, making it easy for beginning readers to decode. An endearing story for group or one-on-one sharing.—Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT