Duck, Duck, Dinosaur

December 1, 2015
Sibling competition is muffled beneath the wings of loving Mama Duck in this oblique pondside parable. Though the first duckling to hatch, Feather is the most insecure. "I AM big," she boasts, lording it over her drooping younger brother Flap. "I am full of bigness." But then, out of the third, oddly humongous egg in the clutch, comes Spike--a massive green dinosaur whose first, roared word says it all: "BIG!" The tension continues as Feather's claim to be "sweeter" after bringing Mama a flower is trumped when Spike lumbers up with an entire flowering tree ("SWEET!") and culminates, after a splashy dip in the pond, with all three sibs wet and shivering. "That won't do," says Mama. "Who wants a cuddle?" In the ensuing cozy scene, as throughout, Vidal's large, soft-edged, broadly curved figures create an underlying visual harmony that takes the edge off the trio's rivalry. But not only does Spike's outsized presence arrest a slide into blandness, occasional touches such as a final view of Mama Duck with a watering can, sprinkling the pond greenery, add further whimsical elements. Moreover, Mama Duck's equal and unfeigned delight with all three of her hatchlings sits at the story's center, serving as both a worthy model for parents and potential reassurance for sibs unsure of their places in the family pecking order. Ultimately, with differences at least temporarily forgotten, everyone here is, as Spike puts it, "HAPPY!" (Picture book. 3-5)

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July 1, 2016
Mama Duck has three eggs; when they hatch, out come two ducklings and a dinosaur. "'Oh, what a sweet family,' said Mama." Like typical siblings, the hatchlings argue about who's the biggest, sweetest, and funniest. Under Mama's wings, though, "they were all the best." Vidal's bold, bright digital illustrations don't entirely save the story from becoming saccharine.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

December 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 1-Feather, Flap, and their brother, Spike the dinosaur, are in for a chilly surprise. It's winter, and that means snow! Spike is excited to enjoy skating, sledding, and snowball fights, but Feather and Flap are mostly just cold. However, once Spike finds them some warm things to wear, they all want to play. Illustrations of these amiable characters add to the comic humor in this beginning reader, and sometimes help tell part of the story (their mother subtly appears in the sidelines with mittens, hats, and scarves). VERDICT Lots of word repetition combined with a simple but enjoyable plot make this an essential purchase for most beginning-to-read collections.-Jessica Marie, Salem Public Library, OR

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