ALA Booklist

Though Dodsworth has misgivings about taking his mischievous duck to Japan, "a land of customs, manners, and order," the bird behaves pretty well as they visit a restaurant, a park, and a Tokyo museum. The duck's antics at a temple antagonize the crowd, but he wins their respect through his kindness to a little girl. Children will find plenty to like about the hapless duck, who tries to be good but can't always manage it. Illustrated with pleasing ink-and-watercolor artwork, this amusing story is told in three chapters. From the Dodsworth series, another fine, funny book for beginning readers or for reading to younger children.

Horn Book

The humor in Egan's globe-hopping series about Dodsworth and his duck friend has always stemmed from the characterization of duck-as-id, and, happily, this installment doesn't break the pattern. A plot thread involving a lost toy leads to a much-anticipated moment of mayhem and to the reminder that our troublemaker has a good heart. As usual, droll watercolors illustrate the pair's tour of popular attractions.

Kirkus Reviews

Timing is everything. Imagine this classic slapstick scene: Two repairmen have to carry a pane of glass across a busy street. Car after car whizzes past and, somehow, swerves around them. The whole scene is about waiting for the glass to break. Egan's latest Dodsworth book is a lot like that. "We should be on our best behavior here," Dodsworth tells his duck. He warns the duck not to play ball around priceless vases. He warns the duck not to play with a bottle of ink. "The duck," the text notes, had always wanted to play with ink." The duck does not crash into the pottery. The duck doesn't spill any ink, and a server in a restaurant tells Dodsworth, "Arigato. Your duck is very well behaved." As in classic slapstick, though, something has to give. At the climax of the story, the duck swings on a rope, springs off an awning and knocks over a tub of goldfish. It's worth the wait. When the duck bounces across a row of drums, precisely in time to the music, it's a very satisfying moment. But the scene really works because of what happens next: The duck walks quietly across the courtyard and hands a toy to a little girl. She had thought it was lost forever. That, too, is worth the wait. The poetics of restraint could not be better displayed. (Early reader. 6-9)

School Library Journal (Tue Feb 28 00:00:00 CST 2023)

Gr 1-3 Eager to experience local customs and cuisine on their trip to Tokyo, jet-setter Dodsworth and his accident-prone duck visit Yoyogi Park, where they find a girl's lost toy, a kendama . Dodsworth promises the duck that if he can stay out of trouble while they take a bus tour, visit a museum, and attend a festival, he'll treat him to some wagashi , dessert. Predictably, the duck doesn't quite succeed, though he does inadvertently impress the locals and return the lost toy. When finally enjoying his long-awaited treat, he ends up making another mess, but his ever-patient companion just laughs. The Japanese words and complex vocabulary will make this chapter book a challenge for young readers, though Egan's pleasant, colorful panels help to decode their meaning. For an adventure in a foreign country, the plot lags slightly. Purchase only where other Dodsworth books are popular or to supplement curriculum on Japanese culture. Jenna Boles, Washington-Centerville Public Library, OH