Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

McCloskey, Robert. 1941.  MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS.  Ill. by Robert McCloskey.  New York, NY: Viking Press.  059033494

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Mr. and Mrs. Mallard are looking for an ideal and safe location to raise their ducklings.  They scout several places in Boston, Massachusetts, like Public Garden, Beacon Hill, and Louisburg Square, but finally decide on an island near the Charles River because of its tranquility and human hospitality.  As they wait for the ducklings to hatch, they make friends with a police officer named Michael, who feeds them peanuts every day.  After the babies arrival, Mr. Mallard decides to explore the city more and Mrs. Mallard readily agrees to raise them on her own for a week.  As Mrs. Mallard and her eight ducklings make their way to meet Mr. Mallard on an island near the Public Garden, they run into some difficulty in trying to cross the highway safely.  Luckily, their policeman friend, Michael, ushers them safely across and even calls police headquarters so that other officers will help them in the Mallards journey. After thanking the police officers, Mrs. Mallard and her eight ducklings meet with Mr. Mallard and make the new island their home.

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This heart-warming story is told using a combination of simple sentences with longer, worded sentences, all used to drive the momentum of the story forward.  By using this alternation in sentence structure, McCloskey keeps his readers engaged as they turn the pages to find out what happens next in the Mallard's family journey.  For example, short simple sentences are used when describing the ducklings upbringing, and readers must turn the page to see how the ducklings are learning and growing.  McCloskey also effectively uses hard page breaks with punctuation to keep his readers attention.  This is evident with a page ending with the word "But-", and when readers turn the page, they see a little boy racing through the streets on his bicycle, nearly hitting Mr. Mallard.  In another example, the comma is used to break a sentence onto two pages, with one page ending with "The policemen held back the traffic so Mrs. Mallard and the ducklings could march across the street," and continuing onto the next with "right into the Public Garden."

The brown colored, charcoal drawings portray realistic details in the ducks' body structure and movement, and also capture the many settings of Boston where the story occurs.  McCloskey brings Boston to life in his drawings with they city's brownstone buildings, Victorian row homes, and stone arched bridges.  From the illustrations, readers are able to determine that the story occurs in the past, perhaps during the nineteen forties, based on the car models shown in the streets as well as the clothing attire worn by the town citizens and police officers.  The brown charcoal drawings are also used to show the characters' expressions, such as Mrs. Mallard's proud, up-turned face, as she defiantly marches across the crowded street, Michael's concerned and scared look as he hurriedly dials headquarters for help, and the surprised and astonished faces of the town's citizens as they look on the Mallard family.  Readers sense the urgency and real danger the Mallard family is in as they try to cross the busy street when McCloskey uses bold, capital letters to spell out " HONK!" and "QUACK!" in the illustrations.

Although the story does use traditional stereotype roles for the male and female of the family (with the father leaving  to work and the mother left with to raise the children), Mrs. Mallard is anything but passive and meek.  She is portrayed as strong and independent, demanding the best for her children, and stopping at nothing to ensure the safety and security of her family.  This touching story captures the love and caring parents have in raising their children.  Young children can relate to it because they see the lengths their parents will go to, to keep them safe from harm.  It also relates to children the importance of helping others, like Michael and his fellow police officers did to ensure the Mallard's safety.

4.  REVIEW EXCERTS

1942 Caldecott Award Book

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:  "McCloskey's attention to detail and marvelous storytelling are a magical combination."

PENGUIN GROUP: "Starting and ending with adorable ducklings, this 60-year old story is still as charming today as it was when Viking first published it in 1941. A true classic, Make Way for Ducklings is sure to win yet another generation of fans!"

5.  Connections

*Discuss with young students the importance of safety when crossing the streets.  What should they do first?  Where or who can they go to if they need help?

*Have students strengthen their map skills by printing out a copy of the Boston city streets and have them pinpoint the Mallard family's journey. Then print out a copy of your city's streets and have the students map out a safe journey the Mallard family may take within the city limits.

* Have students study the characteristics of Mallard ducks using the National Geographic website  http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/mallard-duck.html

What's the Matter, Habibi? by Betsy Lewin

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lewin, Betsy.  1997.  WHAT'S THE MATTER, HABIBI?  Ill. by Betsy Lewin.  New York, NY: Clarion Books.  ISBN  039585816X

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Betsy Lewin tells the story of Habibi,  a camel who gives rides to children daily, but suddenly, decides he no longer wants to.  He refuses to obey the promptings of his owner, Ahmed.  Ahmed grows worried, wondering if his beloved camel is ill.  Habibi runs away in search of what he truly wants, while Ahmed wildly chases after him.  In the end, both Ahmed and Habibi are happily reunited, each having gotten what they wanted.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Lewin's writing is straightforward in this story of a camel and the journey he takes his owner on.   She uses onomatopoeia to mimic the sounds of Habibi's feet striking the ground, "ploppity-plop" and "slappity-slap", which playfully add to Habibi's strong-willed personality.  Lewin also introduces her readers to names and words they may have never heard of before: Habibi, Ahmed, babouches, and fezzes.   Although the words are used to further the plot to engage the reader, it is the use of sketching techniques and water color illustrations that anchor the heart of telling this story.

The illustrations provide crucial clues in helping readers determine that babouches are slippers and a fez is a hat.  The illustrations also serve to establish the cultural setting and environment.  The pictures reveal that the story takes place in a foreign country, perhaps in Morocco or the Middle East.  As readers turn the pages, they see sights that are common to Arabic nations:  men wearing turbans and thobes, women wearing kameezes with the protective hijab, and crowded food markets flourishing with activity.  One page has an image of two men hookah smoking.  Although this detail is never mentioned in the story, it is an authentic image that captures the customs of everyday life of the culture. 

Lewin's bold lined sketches and shadings help to capture the intricate shapes found in the brass and tin shops as well as the details found in the building spires and arched, columned doorways.  The drawings also reveal the willful spirit of Habibi, showing his stubborn facials expressions when refusing to obey Ahmed.  The sketched lines show the movement of Habibi's fez hat and the mount's tassels on his lively jaunt through the city streets.   The vibrant water colors used for Habibi's mount are used to grab the eye of the reader and focus on him as the central character of the story.   This contrasts the bland and lighter color shades used for the buildings and people in the market place.

I think this picture book does a wonderful job of capturing the humor of a strong-willed camel and the lengths he will go to, to get what he wants.  It also shows young readers the cultural diversity that exists in the world, and can introduce them to different perspectives and other ways of life.  Books such as this one may help to pique their interests in learning more about the different ethnicities, cultures, and customs of the world.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

BOOKLIST: "Half the charm of this original picture book is in the free-spirited illustrations. Full of energy and wit, the bold black line drawings tell the tale, while the colorful watercolor washes add depth, warmth, and gaiety. With its modern-day Egyptian setting, timeless story, and fresh, spontaneous style of artwork, this simple picture book has much to offer."

BOOKFLAP: "Inspired by a real-life camel and driver Betsy Lewin met in Egypt, this frolicsome new picture book will delight any child."

PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY: "Lewin's (Chubbo's Pool) agile, spontaneous-looking watercolors combine graceful scrawls and squiggles with watercolor washes, humorously depicting the owner's struggle with his stubborn charge and Habibi's frisky stride through the purple-shadowed crowds of the bazaar. The art adds a lot of style to little substance--perhaps fitting for a tale in which the narrative problem is solved by a new hat."

5.  CONNECTIONS

To help students learn more about Middle Eastern cultures, you can pair this book with the following:

*Kipling, Rudyard. HOW THE CAMEL GOT HIS HUMP.  ISBN  0887080960

*Clayton, Sally Pomme.  TALES TOLD IN TENTS: STORIES FROM CENTAL ASIA.  ISBN  1845072782

Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

Henkes, Kevin.  2004.  Ill. by Kevin Henkes.  New York: Greenwillow Books.  ISBN  0060588292

2. PLOT SUMMARY

This story is of young Kitten's experience in her first night observing a full moon, which she accidently mistakes as a big bowl of milk.  Her quest for this big bowl of milk turns out to be more work than expected.  After a series of mishaps and failed attempts in obtaining the elusive prize, Kitten returns home disappointed.    However, a nice surprise awaits her after her long night.

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Author and illustrator Kevin Henkes creates an endearing story that many young readers can relate to.  At the heart of the story is Kitten and the depths she will go to in her quest to go after something she truly wants: the big bowl of milk that sits in the sky.  The strengths of this story lie in Henkes use of both descriptive words and charcoal drawings to bring readers in for the ride.  

Henkes' choice of vocabulary and repetitive use of words help to create imagery in the story as well as reveal insights into Kitten's unwavering determination.  The use of action verbs such as "wiggled", "sprang", "chased",  and "leaped" all help to describe the lively energy in Kitten's movements as she pursues the big bowl of milk.  Henkes also repeats several descriptive words to further emphasize Kitten's determination.  For example, when Kitten tries to reach the big bowl of milk in the sky, she "climbed and climbed and climbed" her way to the top.  After she spots what she thinks is an even bigger bowl of milk on the ground, she "raced down the tree and raced through the grass and raced to the edge of the pond".  The repetitive use of action verbs helps to cement in the readers' minds that Kitten is not one who gives up easily.

Kitten's persistence is further revealed through Henkes use of the phrase "Poor Kitten!", which appears after each of Kitten's failed attempts.  I believe Henkes uses this phrase almost as a way out for Kitten, should she chose to give up in her pursuit.  Readers would certainly understand if she did, since Kitten's journey has resulted in a series of mishaps.  But for the four out of the five times this phrase appears in the story,  Kitten does not give up.  A true testament to her staunch spirit!

In addition to word choice and usage, Henkes uses his illustrations to reinforce the characteristics of Kitten's determined spirit.  For example, after Kitten leaps and falls down from the top of the stairs, readers see an image of Kitten licking her wounds and cleaning herself up.  As she does so, her eyes are focused on the prize.  In the middle of the story, after not having any luck chasing down the big bowl of milk, readers see Kitten in a stealth-like pose, low to the ground and on the prowl, with her head down, her eyes still trained on that elusive bowl of milk.  This image beautifully mimics a cat's natural hunting tendencies.  

The illustrations also help to establish the setting and plot of the story.  The use of simple, two-dimensional charcoal drawings with varying shades of black, white, and gray establish the time frame of the story, with the night sky shaded in black and the moon traced in a bold ring of black to offset its brilliant white light.  While some may see the lack of vivid colors as unappealing, the use of the same three colors helps young readers to stay focused on the story and Kitten's task at hand.   The charcoal drawings are also used  to show Kitten's facial expressions and what she is feeling: big, rounded eyes to show shock and fear and a surprised smile spread across her face as she finally finds a bowl of milk on the porch after her tiring journey.

Henkes cleverly uses spatial placement of Kitten and the moon on separate facing pages to emphasize the conflict of the physical distance that exists between the two.  On three occasions, Kitten and the bowl of milk are shown split from one another.  Kitten is shown on the bottom of the left-hand page while the bowl of milk is located on the upper side of the right-hand page, diagonally opposite each other.  Kitten's ongoing struggle to get to the bowl of milk is further highlighted by the statement spread across the two pages: "Still, there was the little bowl of milk, just waiting."  Futhermore, Henkes uses split frames to capture the action of Kitten's journey and move the story forward.  As Kitten chases after the moon, readers see five horizontal frames, one on top of the other on the same page, with each frame showing the different locations Kitten has visited- the sidewalk, the garden, the field, and the pond.  In another series of frames, readers see Kitten leap down from the tree and ready herself as she tries for the bigger bowl of milk in the pond.  In one particular frame, only half of Kitten's body is seen, perhaps because she is too fast for the illustrator to capture!

The prevalent theme shared with young readers is that anything worth having takes determination and perseverance.  As the saying goes, "If at first you don't succeed, dust yourself off and try again." Young readers are able to relate to Kitten because they know that learning about new objects or events can be a frustrating.  Readers both young and old are sympathetic to Kitten's confusion of mistaking the moon for a big bowl of milk because at one time or another, everyone has been incorrect.  It is through the experience of trial and error where learning occurs and we fine tune our understanding.  While Henkes does a wonderful job with Kitten to encourage young readers not to give up so easily, I was disappointed with the story's ending.  Although it is a satisfactory ending for young readers-Kitten does end up getting a big bowl of milk, I wonder if it sends the wrong message to them- that they will always be rewarded with what they want if they just try hard enough.  Obviously, this is not always how the world works and may be something adults can discuss with older children.  

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

2005 Caldecott Award Winner

BOOKLIST: "Henkes' text, reminiscent of Margaret Wise Brown's work in the elemental words, rhythms, and appealing sounds, tells a warm, humorous story that's beautifully extended in his shimmering, gray-toned artwork. Working in bold black lines and the silvery palette of moonlight, he creates a lovable, expressive character in the determined kitten, and his dramatic contrasts of light and dark capture the excitement of a nighttime adventure."

KIRKUS: " A keen sense of design uses double spreads and panels to depict the action and Kitten's puzzlement. Some spreads are almost all white space with dark shadows outlining Kitten and the moon. The style is reminiscent of Clare Newberry (Marshmallow, April's Kittens) without soft, fuzzy shapes, but artful in its gracelessness and naïveté, just like a kitten. Simply charming."

5.  CONNECTIONS

* To promote critical-thinking: Create a fun problem-solving game by placing an object in different locations and asking a child how he/she will get to it. 

* As a science lesson: Have students study the different phases of the moon and how long each phase lasts.  As an ongoing activity, have students go out at night and draw the moon.   Have students make a booklet of their drawings with the correctly labeled moon phases.    

*Other books of adventures to capture the moon:

Carle, Eric. PAPA, PLEASE GET THE MOON FOR ME.  ISBN 0887081770

Emmett, Jonathan. BRINGING DOWN THE MOON.  ISBN 0763642673

Lin, Grace. WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON.  ISBN 0316038636