Make Way for Ducklings

Mr. and Mrs. Mallard are looking for the perfect place to start a family, and settle on an island in the Charles River in Boston. After hatching 8 eggs, Mrs. Mallard walks her ducklings down the street to Boston Common.

The set-up here really doesn’t hold up. The Mallards reject the river because it has too many turtles (a real threat to eggs and small ducklings), then reject the Commons because there are too many bikes (maybe a threat to ducklings, but not a threat to eggs and much less of a threat than cars), then go back to the river to lay eggs, then walk the ducklings through traffic to the Commons (just because Mr. Mallard will meet them there, not for any particular reason). Mallards are known for their poor choice of nesting show more places, and for walking their ducklings through traffic to get to the water, but trying to insert anthropomorphic logic doesn’t work, and they already lived in the river!

But….it’s just so cute! You can’t help but love the beautiful brown line drawings and the ducklings’ silly names. I hadn’t seen this book in 30 years but every page has been etched in my brain the whole time, and I think of it every time I see a mother duck and ducklings walking down an urban street (which is fairly often, another reason why this book just works.) show less

Mr. and Mrs. Mallard search for the ideal spot in which to raise a family in this delightful picture-book, which won Robert McCloskey the prestigious Caldecott Medal for his illustrations in 1942. Flying over Boston, they alight on the pond in the Public Garden, only to decide that this is not the place for raising babies when they are almost run over by a young bicyclist on one of the park paths. Moving on to a small island in the Charles River, they raise their brood of ducklings, intending to return to the Public Garden with them at a later date. But when Mrs. Mallard eventually does begin to escort her ducklings from the river to the park she encounters an unexpected obstacle, in the form of human traffic. How will they get to their show more destination with so many cars and trucks whizzing by? Fortunately the ducks' friend, Policeman Michael, is nearby, and comes to the natural conclusion: the people of Boston will simply have to make way...

A perennial favorite since the time it was first published, Make Way for Ducklings pairs a charming tale of an anatine family trying to make a home for themselves in a human-dominated landscape, with lovely black and white artwork that perfectly captures their sweet journey of discovery. Although I did not discover McCloskey's classic as a young child - how I wish that I had, as I would have taken its troupe of fluffy little ducklings entirely to heart - I'm glad I finally had a chance to read it, as part of my Caldecott project. The story is sweetly engaging, with an appealing cast of water-fowl - what is it about these ducklings, that they always seem to be in danger?!? - and has a happy ending that will leave young readers feeling content. The artwork, which was well worthy of the accolades it won, provides quite a bit of viewing pleasure, with its depiction of the Mallard family, and of the city of Boston. It's easy to see why this has become such a picture-book classic! show less

How did I get to be 64 years old without ever having read this Caldecott-winning classic? It’s a reminder that you don’t need full-color illustrations or gimmicks for a book to be amazing. This picture book on the plight of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard seeking a home for their babies in Boston has delighted young and old alike since its release in 1941; it’s easy to see why. Lovely illustrations and a compelling story make Make Way for Ducklings as wonderful today as ever.

I adored everything about this book. I think it must be the cutest book I have ever read. The story, the sweet ducklings, the kind-hearted policeman... And especially the illustrations of the ducks, which are so expressive. What a treasure! I am so happy that I came across it through LT!

A complete and utter classic of kids' literature; and it can't even be limited to kids! A touching and charming story about a mother duck just trying to get her little ducklings across busy Boston, the dangers they face, and the kindhearted people that do their best to help. Helped along by cute brown-sketch illustrations and a straightforward writing style that doesn't talk down to kids. I had my family read it to me over and over.

I liked Make Way For Ducklings. First, I liked the plot, because it was well organized, paced and there is a conflict that needs to be solved. In the book Mr. and Mrs. Mallard need to find a safe place for their eggs to be hatched in Boston. The author builds the story by having each place in Boston not suitable enough for the ducks. Secondly, the illustrations enhance the story and help understand where the ducks are in Boston. On each page there is a detailed picture of places in Boston such as Louisburg Square or the State House. This helps the reader really visualize what the ducks are seeing. Finally, I liked that the writing is very descriptive. I can picture what the author is saying without even looking at the pictures. For show more example a line in the book reads, "So they chose a cozy spot among the bushes near the water and settled down to build their nest." The language in that sentence is descriptive, yet clear and concise. show less

The story is deeply engaging, and the accompanying illustrations add to the comic appeal as dismayed passengers and drivers are made to halt in their busy lives and make way for these ducklings. McCloskey captures the personalities and behaviors of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard perfectly.This book could be used as an introduction to habitats and lends itself very well to illustrate the difference between animals in the wild and those that live in a city or a domestic setting.