The Duck Who Didn't Like Water

by Steve Small, Steve Small (Illustrator)

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

Have you ever heard of a duck that doesn’t like water?! That’s exactly what happens in Steve Small’s The Duck Who Didn’t Like Water. Duck avoids water whenever he can, but when water enthusiast Frog asks Duck for his help, will he be able to put his aversion aside in order to help a friend? This quacky story is perfect to read aloud.

See a duck take to the water of friendship in this gorgeously warm, funny book about the joy of making an unexpected connection.

Duck is not like other ducks. Duck doesn’t like water and is perfectly fine alone, thank you very much. But then, one dark and stormy night, an outgoing, water-loving, and very lost Frog turns up at Duck’s door. Can this odd couple find Frog’s home? And will they find friendship along the way?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781534489172
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
Publication date:	03/30/2021
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	150,914
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Steve Small has worked in animation for over thirty years as a director, designer, and animator. The work has varied from working on Disney features to designing and directing shorts, TV series, and commercials. He’s the illustrator of I’m Sticking with You and the author and illustrator of The Duck Who Didn’t Like Water, Wellington’s Big Day Out, Brave Little Bear, and The Hare Who Wouldn’t Share. Steve lives in London, and when he’s not painting and drawing, you’ll likely find him feeding the crows on Blackheath Common.

Steve Small has worked in animation for over thirty years as a director, designer, and animator. The work has varied from working on Disney features to designing and directing shorts, TV series, and commercials. He’s the illustrator of I’m Sticking with You and the author and illustrator of The Duck Who Didn’t Like Water, Wellington’s Big Day Out, Brave Little Bear, and The Hare Who Wouldn’t Share. Steve lives in London, and when he’s not painting and drawing, you’ll likely find him feeding the crows on Blackheath Common.

Editorial Reviews

Duck is literally an odd duck: he doesn’t like water of any kind, not for swimming or paddling, or even in raindrop form. One dark and stormy night Duck finds a lost Frog outside his door. Days go by as Duck and Frog try in vain to find Frog’s home, until mail carrier Pelican comes by and offers to deliver the amphibian. With Frog gone, though, Duck’s house doesn’t feel like home anymore, and he sets out to reunite with his friend. This story is simple and sweet, but it’s Small’s illustrations that truly shine. Full of Wallace-and-Gromit-esque cuteness, Small’s wispy digital art pops in primary colors and clean, white backgrounds that make dramatic sequences such as the storm that brings Duck and Frog together (and the later storm Duck must brave to find Frog) all the more compelling. Frog’s small, stout figure and comically long legs are a delightful foil to Duck’s height and the broad curves of his vibrantly yellow rain hat and coat. Side character details add to the charm, with hard hat–wearing Beaver fixing Duck’s roof, otters in fly-fishing waders offering directions, and bespectacled Mole calmly sipping tea from a china cup. With plenty of visual Easter eggs and longer chunks of text, this is better suited to one-on-one bedtime cuddles than a larger storytime, especially since Duck and Frog are snuggled down for their own nap on the final pages. KP

February 1, 2021 - BCCB

Duck dislikes swimming, boating, and (basically) water. One stormy night, he discovers a very wet frog at his doorstep and gives him shelter. The next day, they search for Frog’s home, without success. When the mail-delivery pelican arrives, he recognizes Frog and offers him a ride home across the river. After thanking Duck, Frog leaves. For several days, nothing seems right to Duck. Something is missing. Crossing the river despite pelting rain, he finds Frog and, after a joyful reunion, says, “Home doesn’t feel like home if you’re not there!” Frog concurs with a hearty “RIBBIT” and happily moves back in with Duck. Small, who illustrated Smriti Prasadam- Halls’ I’m Sticking with You (2020), makes his authorial debut with this sweet-spirited offering in which the narrator smoothly interprets Frog’s ribbits, adding to the story’s levity. The book’s charm and gentle humor lie in Small’s expressive depiction of characters in the digital artwork. The richly colored, dramatic storm scenes, which contrast beautifully with the otherwise light, bright illustrations, are particularly fine. A fortuitous, foul-weather friendship.

January 29, 2021 - Online Exclusive Booklist

2021-01-13
A good friend can change your life.

Duck loves settling down with a hot beverage when he reads, but that’s the only liquid for him—he doesn’t like getting wet. As a result, he dresses in a yellow rain slicker constantly and spends rainy days inside with the shutters drawn. This solitary existence continues until one night when a particularly bad storm creates a hole in Duck’s roof. When he sets out to investigate repairing it, he comes face to face with a lost frog on his doorstep. Even though Frog loves the water, the two develop a friendship through a shared love of reading. Frog eventually finds his way home, but the two have bonded, and Duck invites Frog to join him as a new roommate. Although the story’s soft cartoon illustrations are amusing—Duck peddling his bicycle in his slicker, boots, and sou’wester will elicit smiles—they can’t save the superficial message of the story. Duck’s phobia is never directly addressed, but once Frog moves in permanently, the rain slicker vanishes, so there’s a bit of a visual resolution. Books addressing new friendships are always needed, but the characters need to be developed to attract and inspire readers. This pale imitation of Oliver Jeffers’ Lost and Found (2006) doesn’t have the depth needed to carry the message. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-15.8-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)

Damp. (Picture book. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews