Duck, Duck, Porcupine! by Salina Yoon; illustrated by the author; Bloomsbury, 2016. 64 pages; $9.99 (hardcover); reading level: Grades K-2.
The characters in this collection of three (very!) short stories for beginning readers are Big Duck, the self-appointed boss; Porcupine, the passive worrier; and Little Duck, who says not a word but who knows, in the story “A Perfect Day for a Picnic,” that a little rain can be fun and in the story “I Think I Forgot Something” what Big Duck has forgotten, and in the story “The Campout” that marshmallows are the most important thing on Big Duck’s 100-item list. The words (aside from the camping list and some “sloshes,” “pecks,” and “pops”) appear in comic book-style speech bubbles and are easy to sound out; the illustrations, digitally-created in bold colors outlined in black, seem to pop right off the pages. Proud new readers will appreciate the table of contents and the fatter-than-a-picture-book format (very grown-up!) but will also enjoy “reading” Little Duck’s wordless attempts to enlighten his larger friends. Simple and sturdy, this book bridges the gulf between the “read to me” and the “I can read it myself” genres.
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Connie Nordhielm Wooldridge, Author
Biography | View
- Just Fine They Way They Are (Calkins Creek, March 1, 2011)
- The Brave Escape of Edith Wharton (Clarion Books, 2010)
- Thank You Very Much, Captain Ericsson! (Holiday House, 2005; Berndtsdotter Books, 2012)
- When Esther Morris Headed West (Holiday House, 2001)
- The Legend of Strap Buckner (Holiday House, 2001)
- Wicked Jack (Holiday House, 1995)
Speaker / Presenter
Connie is an experienced speaker and presenter who enjoys sharing her passion for writing and her experience as a writer with readers and writers of all ages. She has presented to students, community, civic and professional organizations, writing groups, library audiences, and seniors – wherever book lovers gather!
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