Duck Dunks

Publishers Weekly

Berry and Nakata's counting book in verse blends easy, punchy rhymes and light-as-air watercolor-and-ink illustrations to cheerful effect. The five round-bellied ducklings from Duck Skates now head for a day at the beach with kite, float, towels and a cake in tow. Pictures vary in size and shape, immediately drawing readers into the whirlwind of activity on shore and in the surf. The taut text follows suit: "Snippety snap! Quick claws pinch./ Two ducks yelp. Three ducks flinch." A full-bleed page of aqua, punctuated with the bobbing and spinning ducks, suggests the sense of endless sea; further on, four horizontal scenes across one spread replicate the slowly shifting colors of sunset on the beach. Repeated rhymes add a comforting balance to the spirited doings. A breezy delight. Ages 3-5. (June)

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Children's Literature - Claudia Mills

A summer's day at the beach could n'ot be more enjoyable than in the company of these five darling, delightful duckies. In pitch-perfect rhyming text (reminiscent in its read-aloud lilt of Nancy Shaw's Sheep in a Jeep), Berry celebrates and savors the simple pleasures of sea and sand: "Ducks hit the shoreline. Ducks dive in. Five little ducklings bob and spin." Young readers are invited to count the ducklings at play, as "One duck gurgles. Two ducks whirl. Three ducks burble. Four ducks swirl." While a bit of excitement is provided by an encounter with a nipping crab, the highlight of the story is the moment when the ducks' kite soars into the air: "Three ducks point. Four look up high. Five little ducks cheer, ‘Fly, kite, fly!'" Nakata's watercolors are absolutely adorable, whether depicting the ducks' picnic of clam cakes and jam cakes (with one duck buried in the sand except for beaked head and webbed feet) or the ducks curled up for sleep in their bedtime basket at the end of their glorious day. A merry morsel of frolicsome fun. Reviewer: Claudia Mills, Ph.D.

School Library Journal

PreS-K- Five adorable ducks spend a day at the beach. They are always on the go, and Berry uses one or two short snappy sentences per page to describe the action to reinforce the frenetic movement. "Ducks hit the shoreline. Ducks dive in./Five little ducklings bob and spin." The fun is everywhere as these diminutive ducks, portrayed in little round splotches of color, radiate personality. The layout of pictures and lively, rhyming text complement the story perfectly. The dramatic pause after all five become submerged by a wave is underscored by a page with no text-only waves, represented by a tumultuous background of aqua decorated by watercolor swirls and five tiny ducks flailing about. All, of course, is well as they gurgle up to the top and repair to the beach for lunch. The day ends with a session of kite flying, a game of tag and leapfrog, then one last dunk before the sun sets. Then it's off to home-a wash of warm pinks-for a good night's sleep. This seasonal companion to the equally charming Duck Skates (Holt, 2005) is sure to be a hit.-Jane Marino, Bronxville Public Library, NY

Kirkus Reviews

"Ducks in swimsuits. One with a float / One with a kite and cakes in a tote. / Five with towels-one towel each! / Five little ducks on their way to the beach." The five rambunctious, adventurous ducklings from Duck Skates (2005) return for a sandy excursion in Berry and Nakata's second collaboration. They dive and swim and splash in the sea. Back on land, they picnic and fly their kite. They play tag and leapfrog, and they try to catch a crab, with disastrous results. After watching the sun sink, there's time for one last dip in the ocean before they waddle home for a much-needed snooze. The rhythmic verse perfectly matches the wavering, swirling, beach-bright watercolors. As delicate as its wee principals, the intimate trim size and small compositions are best suited for lap sharing. After a read or three, listeners will chant right along, hoping there are more outings planned for this ducky family. (Picture book. 2-5)