Duck, Duck, Goose!

On the opening double-page spread, a single duck flies over a peaceful wintry rural landscape while the rhyming text states the obvious: "Duck." A second duck joins the first on the following spread. "Duck. Duck." Next up, "Duck. Duck. Goose." No surprise there...but buckle up, because Hare's (Field Trip to Volcano Island, rev. 3/22) picture-book romp is about to go off the rails. On the fourth spread, the ducks and goose are now joined by "Moose?" Yes, "Moose on the loose" in a creative flying contraption. From there, the wacky story -- involving a train, a truck, some muck, and both bad and good luck -- takes readers on a wild ride. Hare's engagingly composed cartoonlike illustrations, "a blend of hand-drawn pencil with digital color and accents," take the wheel from the stripped-down text, heightening the absurdity. Effective page-turns, text placement, and punctuation enhance the spot-on comedic timing. This is tailor-made for story hours; the simple, repeated vocabulary and large, bold type would also support emerging readers. The adventure ends with ducks, goose, moose, and a hitchhiking hen enjoying tropical "Surf. Sand. Ocean. Sun." Flying south for the winter may not always be this chaotic -- but these snowbirds sure stick the landing. Kitty FlynnNovember/December 2024 p.68 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A zany tale inspired by the name of the popular children's game. Flying south, two ducks encounter a goose headed in the same direction. "Duck. Duck. Goose," as the familiar refrain goes. But what's this? A moose? Tootling along on a motorized scooter carried aloft on a parachute, this moose is "on the loose." Then the gang soars over a train "caboose" far below. Thus flies this uproarious rhyming tale, comprised of the barest minimum of vocabulary. Almost all the words end in -uck (cluck, truck, stuck, muck, luck) and -oose (loose, vamoose), making this riotous book perfect for kids ready to spread their own wings as brand-new readers. Once children get the hang of the phonics, they'll fly through this tale with plenty of giggles. Kids should be encouraged to volunteer other words that rhyme with the book's dominant sounds. In addition to honing an appreciation for rhyme and helping to develop vocabulary, Hare introduces the concept of homophones when he uses the word duck not as a noun but as an imperative verb (in one hilarious scene, a duck riding on top of a truck fails to notice a low-hanging traffic signal). All ends happily when everyone arrives safely at their tropical destination. The comical artwork is a blend of hand-drawn pencil with digital color and accents. A funny, high-flying exploration of sound words that's perfect for plucky new readers ready to let loose. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.