Review by Booklist Review
The journey of a few ducks--from pond citizens to inspirations for picture books and back to the pond again as bronze sculptures--unfolds in this dual biography of illustrator Robert McCloskey and sculptor Nancy Schön. McCloskey and Schön each get their chance to develop as artists and characters on the page, but Kunkel takes special care on the way to the moment their paths overlap. Covering McCloskey's early days writing alongside Nancy's persistence with sculpture across many moves and family changes, the evocative text balances their artistic pursuits until they are brought together to bring the ducks to Boston Public Garden. Told in poetic prose with illustrations that feel transported through time, this is the sort of picture-book biography that may appeal more to adult readers who loved Make Way for Ducklings. Children familiar with McCloskey or Boston, or those who enjoy biographies of artists, will likely be the most excited by this. Despite the question of audience, the well-executed, full-page illustrations rendered in a vintage style are perfect for the period they depict.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
"In the beginning, a duck is an egg./ A drawing is a blank page./ A sculpture is a lump of clay." This dual picture book biography pairs the story of Robert McCloskey (1914--2003) and Make Way for Ducklings with the tale of sculptor Nancy Schön (b. 1928), whose duck figurines in Boston's Public Garden commemorate McCloskey's work. The two artists' early years are recounted in parallel: McCloskey plays harmonica and carves in Hamilton, Ohio, while Schön roller-skates through the halls of her Newton, Mass., home and "learns to look--and think-- in three dimensions." McCloskey's Make Way for Ducklings is eventually published and finds success, but Schön struggles to find artistic direction--until she hears a child in the Public Garden ask, "Where are the ducks?" Burke Kunkel (Digging for Words) renders a genuinely suspenseful and touching account of Schön delicately approaching McCloskey with the idea of memorializing his book's characters. Handsome, vintage-style artwork by Keane (Little Wonder) recalls the warm sepia tones of McCloskey's drawings and the brass of the sculptures; coupled with the story of both parties' persistence, the pages feel like a natural extension of the original tale. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Liza Fleissig, Liza Royce Agency. Illustrator's agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Apr.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1--4--This is the true-life story of Robert McCloskey of Make Way For Ducklings and Nancy Schön's subsequent creation of bronze duck sculptures that honors both artists' path while explaining the fame of their webbed creations. Young McCloskey and Schön's stories are told alternately to show how each individual interacted with their worlds as children and found their way to their own artistry. As the tales unfold, both are faced with doubts and roadblocks that threaten their beliefs in their own talents. It is near the end of this story that Schön and McCloskey work together; the back matter of the book provides additional information that explains the popularity of the ducklings at the heart of the story. At times the switches between narratives aren't smooth, but the connections are aided by the illustrations and imagery. As a nod to the original picture book, Keane uses sepia tones contrasted with digitally rendered "crayon" with an emphasis on the expressive faces of every character and animal. The addition of more vibrant colors, such as bright blue, gives this retelling a very modern feel. Use this with the original book, perhaps with older audiences who will follow the dual narrative and the transitions. VERDICT A visually appealing and well-researched addition to biographical narratives, for use with the original Make Way for Ducklings or with the recent picture book biography Mr. McCloskey's Marvelous Mallards by Emma Bland Smith.--Danielle Schwessinger
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Review by Horn Book Review
This story spans decades, introducing two artists separately until Nancy Schon (born 1928) begins work on her sculptures of Robert McCloskey's (1914-2003) beloved duckling characters for Boston's Public Garden. Kunkel (Digging for Words, rev. 1/21) dips into and out of each creator's story line smoothly and effectively, advancing the narrative to get to the heart of the book: how an illustrator's drawings were re-envisioned by a sculptor as three-dimensional public art. Keane's digital illustrations on sepia-tinted backgrounds have an appropriately vintage look; her loose lines and energetic compositions are a good match for the conversational (and lengthy) text. After some brief background about each artist's early years, three double-page spreads neatly outline McCloskey's path to the publication of Make Way for Ducklings in 1941. Schon's artistic career is more circuitous (raising a family is her priority), and she receives less recognition; once she conceives of the duckling project, Kunkel focuses on the sculptor's meticulous process, along with the added pressure of interpreting a living artist's iconic characters. Scenes of meetings between McCloskey and Schon reveal how the two navigated a potentially tricky collaboration. An author's note and timeline provide more detail about the subjects and the sculptures. For more on McCloskey and the creation of his Caldecott Medal-winning book, read Smith's Mr. McCloskey's Marvelous Mallards (rev. 11/22). (c) Copyright 2023. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
When Bob and Nancy begin to explore their artistic talents, they are children, born, respectively, in 1914 and 1928. They will grow up to become Robert McCloskey, two-time Caldecott winner, including one for Make Way for Ducklings (1941), and Nancy Schön, sculptor of the famous ducklings, inspired by the picture book, in the Boston Public Garden, installed in 1987. The trajectories of these two and their eventual friendship (after many years of struggle to be recognized as an artist, Nancy would also create works based on other McCloskey characters) are chronicled in a lively and loving manner that will excite children and adults alike. The digital illustrations, like crayon sketches that evoke an earlier era, push the story forward in a rush of humorous elements that emphasize the unusual devotion of these two people to their art. While creating the book, Bob buys live ducks to study in his New York City apartment. Years later, Nancy purchases "a duck's foot from the butcher to study the way its joints move." Nancy worries about whether Bob will allow her to use his work as the basis for her sculpture, but when a friend brings them together, the established book creator warms to the idea and becomes genuinely excited when he sees children react to Nancy's models. Most characters present White, though a few children of color appear. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A wonderful picture book about creativity and collaboration. (author's note with photos, timeline, selected bibliography) (Informational picture book. 7-11) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
