Sophomore Abram Monahan has confronted this challenge head first: like a diver would. In sports, athletes are always striving for perfection, but it is virtually impossible to reach. A cat that walks me home from school.īrandy Hilboldt Allport writes Read All About It, a column about children’s books for the Florida Times-Union.Five D’s of Diving: Dive, Duck, Dip, Dodge, Dive “A cat that smiles and never wears a frown, and cheers me up when I’m feeling down. Paired with Allen’s pleasant and simple rhymes, Bigbee’s bold and vibrant anthropomorphic cats will have you looking at your own with a more than usual critical eye. “I’d Like A Cat Like That” is an exuberant salute to our feline friends designed for a slightly older crowd. In sharp contrast is a new book from a pair of cat lovers, Orange Park writer John Allen and Jacksonville illustrator Linda Bigbee. The illustrator, Will Hillenbrand, has also written and illustrated many books, including “Bear in Love” and “Bear and Bunny,” both written by Daniel Pinkwater. The author, Eve Bunting, has written more than 250 children’s books including “Smoky Night,” illustrated by David Diaz, which won a Caldecott Medal, and “Yard Sale” illustrated by award-winner Lauren Castillo. It’s not surprising that “I’m a Duck” is such a rousing success. It also celebrates the deep satisfaction that comes along with conquering fear. This charming story acknowledges the fears that come along with trying something new and details the bravery sometimes required to try something new. No one says my stroke is strange or asks if I will ever change.” Frog swells with pride, and Mother Duck jumps up and down and passes out kisses as the brother ducks flap their wings in appreciation.Īfter a bit of earnest, straightforward swimming, Duck flips over and backstrokes to and fro across the pond. The illustrations that depict Duck’s first self-induced pond plunge are nothing less than joyful. In few moments, Duck proclaims: “I’d love to have you help me through it, but I’m the one who had to do it.”
Let’s go.” Duck acknowledges that even though he feels prepared, he’s still afraid.īig Frog, watching this inner turmoil unfold on the edge of the pond, offers to dive in with Duck and hold his wing. The water itself seems to develop its own voice to beckon him, “Come on. When morning comes, however, he heads to the edge of the pond and studies his reflection. While his mother looks on, Duck spends the evening under the pale moonlight splashing in the puddle. He will not go into the pond, but instead finds a practice place in a nearby puddle. Use common sense and try to get some confidence.” With these wise words echoing in his head, Duck decides to give it a try. Then, during a walk around the pond, Owl chimes in with sage advice: “Think about what you can do. Big Frog advises the scared bird “to dive in, don’t even think." Big Frog goes on to state the obvious: “You’re a duck, and ducks don’t sink.” Neighbors, too, offer to help Duck overcome his fears. Though Duck’s brothers frolic easily in the water and frequently shout encouragement to Duck to join their fun, Duck remains reticent, imagining sinking to the bottom of the pond, never to be found. Two pages into the simple story, and the problem is evident: “Now I’m a duck who’s scared to go in the pond or the lake, and so I cannot swim, and that is bad. Talk about plot development and story arch. Duck’s intrepid mother must dive deep into the pond to retrieve her yet-to-be-born offspring. It turns out that first roll was nearly fatal. Think of it as an origin story, told in rhyme: “When I was just an egg, I’m told, I left my nest and rolled and rolled.” A new picture book for the youngest readers, “I’m a Duck,” unfolds from the point of view of the titular protagonist, and it starts at the beginning.
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