Make Way for Ducklings

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
McCloskey, Robert. 1941. Make Way for Ducklings. Ill. by Robert McCloskey. New York: Viking Press.  ISBN 0670035386

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Mr. and Mrs. Mallard search and search for the right place to build their nest in New York.  When they finally find the perfect spot, they lay eight eggs.  But, after the eggs hatch they face the problem of getting the ducklings to the pond.  With a little help from some kind policemen, Mrs. Mallard sees her babies safely to their new home in the park.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Robert McCloskey tells the story of finding a home and raising ducklings in the voices of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard.  The ducks conversations and worries about their babies are reminiscent of all new parents.  The journey to the Public Garden is depicted from a ducks viewpoint and helps to move the story.

Robert McCloskey earned the Caldecott Medal for his illustrations in this classic picture book.  The books sketches are done in brown on a cream background and do not use any additional color.  The ducks and background illustrations are lifelike.  However, people depicted in the book are cartoon like.

Make Way for Ducklings is a classic piece of children's literature that has been read to children since 1941.  Young children will delight in the journey of the ducks to their new home in the park.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
1941- Caldecott Medal
The New York Times- "one of the merriest picture books ever.."

5. CONNECTIONS
*Connect the text to a unit on animal habitats.
*Gather and share more books by Robert McCloskey or about ducks.
*Learn about the Peabody Hotel ducks (John Phillip Duck by Polacco is great for this)
* Other books for children about ducks:
Davies, Nicola. Just Ducks! ISBN 978-0763659363
Polacco, Patricia. John Phillip Duck. ISBN 978-0399242625