Welcome

Welcome to Mrs. Brecht's Bookshelf. Here you can read reviews of books that I read personally and books that I enjoy reading to my sons. Read more about our Caldecott journey here and about my decision to read banned/challenged books here. I'll also periodically post fun reading-related activities and ideas. Who knows, I may even start doing some book giveaways if I get enough readers!

Monday, June 24, 2013

1942 Caldecott Winner


Title: Make Way for Ducklings

Author and Illustrator: Robert McCloskey

Method of Reading/Extra Activities: I set out a baby blanket that had ducks on it and gathered all the toy ducks I could find in the house. Then the boys and I sat down to read the book. We read it in one sitting while playing with the ducks. After reading, we counted out eight of the smaller ducks as ducklings and lined them up behind two bigger Mommy and Daddy ducks. The book came with a CD, so a few days later we listened to the CD several times in the car. We read the book another time and also read Robert McCloskey's 1949 Caldecott Honor book Blueberries for Sal (a birthday gift from Grandma). 

About the Text: Mr. and Mrs. Mallard look for the perfect place to build a nest, finally settling in the city of Boston. They hatch eight ducklings and begin to teach them all the things little ducks need to know. Papa duck goes exploring and Mama duck promises to meet him in the park. Mrs. Mallard leads her eight ducklings through the busy streets of Boston in order to find their father at the park. Friendly policemen help the ducks along the way.
About the Illustrations: The illustrations are very cute brown and white sketches. The ducks are usually the focal point of each page, but the drawings contain many other fun details that kids enjoy.

Our Favorite Part: When the ducks try to cross the road and the cars are honking, the ducks are quaking, and the policeman is blowing his whistle all at the same time. It's fun to listen to Mommy make all those sound effects!

Our Least Favorite Part: I'm not sure if we have one. This was a great book! Gabriel is still a bit young to sit still for a whole book, but it was pretty easy to draw his attention back to this book by pointing to the pictures or making sound effects with the text.

7 comments:

  1. I love this book! I distinctly remember reading this when I was a kid and now I loved being able to grab it at the library and read it to my own kids. Hmmm, maybe I need to buy this one for our collection.

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    1. I really enjoyed it. I don't remember reading it as a kid, though. I do, however, remember reading the next Caldecott book we'll be reading (The Little House). Yes, I can imagine Betty and Elliot would love Make Way for Ducklings. Have you read Blueberries for Sal by the same author? I thought that was really cute, too.

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  2. :) What a nice review! I can just picture you with your ducklings around you....and can hear Gabriel quacking too!

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  3. I can just picture you sitting on the floor with your own ducklings gathered around you. I can hear Gabriel quacking along with you, too! What a nice review.

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    1. Yes, fortunately, I only have two, rather than the eight that Mrs. Mallard had.

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  4. LOVE these books! I, too, remember them from my childhood. I also love One Morning in Maine, by the same author. We own that one, and it was awesome to get it out and read it the day Zac lost his first tooth (it's all about Sal losing her tooth). Seriously some of my favorite books ...LOVE the illustrations, adorable text, too!

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    1. I haven't read that one. I'll have to check it out. :)

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