Duck

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Dorling Kindersley, prolific creator of such successes as the Eyewitness series (Knopf), has done it again. It would take a hard heart indeed to resist the winsome juveniles depicted in this See How They Grow series--baby photographs to gladden the heart of any proud mother. Equally delicious are the texts, which impart a goodly share of child-oriented information in painless fashion. Little ones will easily relate to these creatures' birth and growth through the creative use of ``first-person'' accounts--``I have chipped away my shell, and now I am pushing myself out,'' says the duckling. Each spread is devoted to a single condition or activity pertinent to the book's subject--the kitten's concerns include ``Cuddling'' and ``Looking after myself,'' while the duckling discourses on ``New feathers'' and ``First swim.'' In horizontal borders at the tops and bottoms of the pages artful, miniature drawings portray events in each life cycle. Winning beginnings. Ages 5-8. (Sept.)

School Library Journal

PreS-- Excellent introductions to the development of four animals from birth to maturity. The texts are easy without being oversimplified or overly anthropomorphized, despite the fact that they are told from the individual animals' point of view. Each step is accurately described in a few words per page; the last two pages show a recap of the entire process. The full-color photograph cutouts on white backgrounds reflect clearly the information in the text. Additionally, each double-page spread has borders of full-color drawings of the featured animal engaging in natural activities. The pages are thick and sturdy, and are sure to attract young children. Public libraries should find these books useful for parents looking for first books to read to their babies. Nursery school teachers and caregivers of toddlers will find them helpful as a source of information and enjoyment. --Kay McPherson, Central Atlanta-Fulton Public Library