My Ducky Buddy/Mi amigo el pato

PreS—A boy describes why he enjoys bathing with his rubber duck. When it comes time to sleep, he misses his friend, imagining it leaping the fence as he counts sheep. Using animation and graphic-arts media, Oliva's illustrations create fun, engaging, up-close pictures. Vivid, full-color spreads done in pastels feature blues, greens, magentas, and purples set against eye-catching backdrops for the happy child and his bright, and often huge, yellow duck. The boy's large head gives him a bobble-head look, emphasizing his large smile and freckles. The Spanish translation adequately captures the English text; however, it does not always scan perfectly. This fun story will help fill the need for bilingual books suitable for storytimes. The engaging tale and pleasant illustrations will be a favorite for group or one-on-one sharing.—Cristi Jenkins, Fort Vancouver Regional Library, WA