Starred Review ALA Booklist (Sun Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 1999)

Starred Review This well-designed book from the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series introduces wild ducks: their diet, swimming prowess, migration habits, and preening, which allows them to swim and dive in water and to fly through rainstorms without getting wet. The text is well focused throughout and discusses the habits of several types of wild ducks, always returning to the book's main point, ducks don't get wet. Notable for its clarity, subtlety, and beauty, the artwork illustrates the text with precision and imagination. In a scene showing a duck pursuing fish underwater, minor gradations in the hue and brushstroke of the predominantly grayish-green watercolors indicate the speed of the diving duck as well as the depth of the water. The illustrations, pencil drawings tinted with watercolor washed and highlighted with pastels, not only show the variety of types of ducks and their activities but also the changing landscape in different seasons and at different times of day. Best of all, they inspire a sense of awe in observing nature. The last pages offer activities related to the theme as well as lists of Web sites and picture-book stories about ducks. A unusually handsome addition to a reliable series. (Reviewed August 1999)

Horn Book (Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 2004)

Twelve-year-old David's father is home from a mental hospital and trying to control his anger; David's brother may be involved with drugs; and their mother tries to keep the family together. When he meets Mr. Moses, who calls himself a "dream bearer," David begins to understand his own place in the family and the outside world. A challenging yet satisfying snapshot of a life.

School Library Journal

PreK-Gr 1The subject here is ducks, and while this newly illustrated revised edition (Crowell, 1965) does examine their behavior, the primary focus is on preeningthe process by which ducks spread oil through their feathers to keep them waterproofand their search for food. The text is essentially the same as in the earlier edition except for a few minor word changes and the placement of a hands-on experiment. This edition also includes a warning against using wild bird feathers (illegal in some areas) for the experiment. The earlier edition featured illustrations by Leonard Kessler in a simple, cartoon style. This title includes watercolors that have more visual appeal and are more realistic. This is especially evident in the depiction of different duck species, which are now much more easily identifiable. A welcome addition that meets the growing demand for nonfiction titles for young readers.Arwen Marshall, New York Public Library Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.