Make Way for Ducklings

Title: Make Way for Ducklings
Author: Robert McCloskey
Major Themes: Ducks, Animal Stories, Picture Books
Synopsis: Mr. and Mrs. Mallard must find a safe place to raise their family—but with dangers all around, will they ever find a home?

Make Way for Ducklings is a wonderful picture book, one I remember being enthralled by as a youngster. It’s one of those ageless stories that you’d expect to find on Grandma’s shelf, and could perhaps cajole her, Grandpa, or an Aunt into reading to you.

Through this funny story, we see Mr. and Mrs. Mallard try to find the perfect home for their babies. But, alas, there seems to be no suitable place for them! At last, the tired couple flutter down into a public garden, with a beautiful pond. It seems to be the perfect place to call home—plenty of food, plenty of water, a nice island—but when Mr. Mallard almost loses his feathers by a chance run-in with a speeding bicycle, Mrs. Mallard decides this, too, is no place for ducklings. Will they ever find a home? And even if they do, will they be safe with all the dangers of a big city around them?

Make Way for Ducklings is a wonderful story—one that could easily have happened in real life. Through humorous pictures and a lyrical style, the story is thoroughly enjoyable. Your family, and especially your preschoolers, will love it.

WARNING: One caution Mom had was that Mrs. Mallard seems to look down on Mr. Mallard quite a bit, and considers him stupid. You may want to talk to your children about this.