One of the first books to catch my son’s attention was The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? by the ever-wonderful Mo Willems (Hyperion, 2012). My son has always loved Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, and this spin-off takes the same spoiled, cranky, impolite pigeon and teaches him a lesson in manners.
First, an adorable large-eyed duckling asks politely for a cookie and is delighted when a cookie appears. Pigeon, of course, feels he has been slighted, and, as often the case with Willems’ pigeon, he has a tantrum of complaints. When Duckling turns the table by sharing the cookie, Pigeon has to re-think his response.
The illustrations are typical of Willems’ stories: deceptively simple crayon birds created with just a few lines, and yet they perfectly display emotion: delight, frustration, anger, sadness, sincerity. I like the message in this book: think before you judge, be grateful, be polite.Â
Kid’s thoughts: Love at first sight.
Nominations for the Cybils are open! As a first-round panelist, I get to read all the nominated fiction picture books, those published between October 16, 2011 and October 15, 2012. My son (turning 5 tomorrow!) and I enjoy watching nominations come in, and we’re always excited when we see a book we’ve already enjoyed show up on the list! Some he’s really excited to read because the title is so interesting or the cover illustrations are intriguing. We read this book earlier in the year but didn’t have a chance to post about it then.
