Duckling Runs Away

Duckling Runs Away by Margaret Wild, illustrated by Vivienne To (Allen & Unwin) HB RRP $19.99 ISBN 9781761065804

So often small children become annoyed with their parents and decide to run away. So, it is with Duckling who squabbles with her mother saying, ‘I’m never coming back. Never ever!’ She sees some chicks who, playing hopscotch, invite her to join them, but no, Duckling is running away! On her journey she is asked by dogs, kittens, piglets, lambs, and bunnies to join them in their respective games. But, because she is running away, Duckling always declines.

Darkness begins to fall, and Duckling suddenly realises she doesn’t know why she is running away. An owl asks if she’s lost, and Duckling says she knows exactly where she needs to be. She turns back and as she waddles on, she passes all the baby animals snuggled in sleep with their mothers. She finishes – of course -- in the warm wings of her mother.

The illustrations not only show Duckling and her adventures, but To colours the pages to show daylight merging into night.

This is a book which young readers are likely to have as a bedtime story. It’s a reassuring story about love and trust that shows a mother’s love is always near, and forgiveness is always there from one’s parents. The book is likely to appeal to children aged from 2 to 5 years.

There’s a Baddie Running Through this Book

There’s a Baddie Running Through this Book by Shelley Unwin, illustrated by Vivienne To (Allen & Unwin) HB RRP $$19.99 ISBN9781 760630614

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

With a title like this, the young reader can be sure there’s a lot of fun and action in this picture book. And it doesn’t disappoint. You can find the baddie, hidden among dozens of other animals such as hens, bears, tortoises and more in the fly pages before the story starts (spoiler alert, he’s wearing a mask and has a sack full of goodies over his shoulder). On the first page, the illustrator has cleverly shown the baddie running into a black space of a torn page, leaving behind a trail of lollies. As you turn the pages, the baddie is racing along, leaving a flurry of upset characters, such as the koala baby in a pram. Next, he catches the eye of a police officer.

In short rhyming lines, the author continues the baddie’s adventure. There’s ‘no time to waste/This baddie knows he’s being chased!’ On foot or in vehicles, the baddie continues to evade capture and to steal as he proceeds. To find out the baddie’s fate, one must follow him through the pages of the book until the end.

This book – ideal for reading aloud – is action-packed and fast-paced with lots of energy accompanying the animated and interesting illustrations. Lots of good fun and sure to amuse and entertain readers aged 4 to 8 years.