Customer Reviews

Duck on a Bike

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a children's librarian, I am always searching for the next perfect book to read for preschool storytime. I have read this book to several groups now and always have had an enraptured audience--both children and adults love it. Duck decides to ride a bike for the fun of it and greets the animal on the farm as he passes by. It might sound trite, but in this book, it is all magical.

The full bleed illustrations are bright and colorful while the story is humorous and engaging. Don't miss the last page either. All the kids love it. This has become my favorite picture book this year and I will be disappointed if it doesn't receive a Caldecott nod. Add this one to your child's library or give it to a favorite child as a gift. Then sit down and read it together. Neither of you will be disappointed! A great companion book also out this year is "Do Like a Duck Does" by Judy Hindley.

"One day down on the farm, Duck got a wild idea. "I bet I could ride a bike!" he thought. He waddled over to where the boy parked his bike, climbed on, and began to ride..." So begins David Shannon's creative and silly picture book, Duck On A Bike. In no time Duck's mastered the art of pedaling, and is zooming around the barnyard waving and calling to his friends. The cow thinks it's silly, and the sheep is sure Duck will hurt himself. The dog thinks it's neat, and the pigs think Duck is a big show-off. Mr Goat isn't so interested in riding, but would like to eat the bike, the horse just wants to remind Duck that he's still faster, and the cat is so self-involved, he doesn't even look up as Duck rides by. And that's when it happens...a whole gang of kids come riding onto the farm, park their bikes, and go inside. And in just a matter of seconds, Duck discovers he isn't the only animal riding around and around the barnyard..... Mr Shannon's engaging text begs to be read aloud, and is full of animal sounds and clever asides. But it's his bold, bright, and busy illustrations that really make this book sparkle. Each two page spread is filled with endearing oversized animals, marvelous facial expressions, and hilarious details. Perfect for kids 3-7, Duck On A Bike is a joyous, manic romp that little animal lovers and bike enthusiasts shouldn't miss.

Not since Doreen Cronin created her own enterprising foul in "Click Clack Moo" has a duck so single handedly taken farm matters directly into his own hands. In this particularly charming tale, a curious duck eyes a shiny red bicycle on the farm. Judging himself a worthy rider, Duck hops onto the bike and visits all the other animals on the farm. Each animal responds with their own particular sound (moos, meows, woofs, etc.) but think what they will about Duck's exploits. When a large bike riding group of youngsters arrive on the farm and head inside the house, their own bicycles become too much of a lure for the barnyard fellows and soon the yard is full of wheeling critters.

Using a selection of beautiful paints, novel characters, and interesting angles, author/illustrator David Shannon (of "No, David" fame) has created a truly delightful tale. His attention to detail is remarkable. Kids that remember that when Duck passed the goat his thought was, "I'd like to eat that bike!" will be rewarded if they notice that once on such a contraption, the goat makes a point of chewing on the available basket. And honestly, who else could draw a horse sneering any better than Shannon? The curl of the lip is an expression I've often expected on certain finicky animals. Safety conscious parents will note that the pack of kids arriving on the farm, aside from being nicely multicultural and of different genders, are almost all wearing safety helmets. So well done there. And as a personal note, I always give extra points to those illustrators that understand the beauty of the silent gag. The two page spread of the animals eying the new bicycles eagerly will make parents laugh in appreciation and make gleeful those kids that can figure out what is about to occur. And much like the more recent "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus", we can appreciate the troubles that might come from Duck's curious perusal of an unmanned tractor on the last page. All in all, a fun story that would read aloud very very well to large groups of children. Highly recommended.

My criteria for 5 *s is:
- warm illustrations
- humourous
- well written text
- my kids like it
- fun for an adult to read over and over again
- has a satisfying ending

This book has it all. It took a little while to grow on me but I kept finding more and more depth in the pictures and the text. The animals responses to seeing the duck ride the bike are both appropriate to each animal and humourous. e.g. the horse brags that he is faster, the dog thinks it's really cool, the cat is somewhat indifferent and the goat wants to eat the bike.

It is also very fun to read to children. You can be a bit silly without trying hard. Unlike some other childrens' books, I don't mind reading this frequently and it is a frequent request from my 3.5 year olds.

The ending with the duck staring at the tractor is a fun twist.

For me, any book that can be acted, as much as read aloud, is a book that I want to share with my listeners and one that I would definitely recommend to you. This book is both those things. The ingenious text invites you to mimic the farm animals and be the most spirited reader you can be. In the hands of a dedicated reader and/or a devoted parent, this title will prove an exceedingly satisfying read. The illustrations are gorgeous and can be most appreciated in the arms of a child while he/she studies them up close. The clever ending will hopefully tempt your son or daughter to say, "Uh-oh, what's he up to now?" and foster a discussion with him/her about what might happen to Duck next. This is one of the best examples of contemporary literature for young children because it so artfully combines smart writing with outstanding illustrations. Again, like so many of the books I've presented to my audiences at the Children's Museum, this is a book that should be included in your young child's library because it will undoubtedly be read over and over and enjoyed till it's worn.

Many children's books put me to sleep while I am reading the bedtime story. This, however, is one of my favorite books to read aloud. I have a great opportunity to practice dramatic voices; I can be a superior acting horse, an arrogant cat, and a worshipful mouse. The illustrations are sensational. I wish I could find more books that are this much fun.

Duck on a Bike is a whimsical tale about a duck who seizes the opportunity to do something out of the ordinary. After spying a parked red cruiser, he decides to take a ride. As he passes the rest of his barnyard friends, they all express their opinions in their native tongues (moo, meow, squeak, m-a-a-a, etc...) Just like people, they all think something different. Some are scared, one is boastful, some appear jealous, and one could care less. Yet, when a gaggle of kids flies by and parks their bikes in front of a house, all of the animals are struck with the idea that what duck is doing isn't so bad after all.

It is great to see the barnyard animals grasping at handlebars with hoofs and wings. The pigs ride a tandem bike, rooster a tricycle, and goat gets her wish as she munches innocently on the bike's basket. After all, kids will be kids.

Shannon uses interesting perspective and great staging to bring the illustrations in this book to life. The bicycles are rendered beautifully, and the style of illustration is very different than the one he uses in the David books. It is worth it to buy this book for the artwork alone.

Don't pass the last page of this book without paying attention, or else you'll miss the next big adventure duck is planning!

Great book. My 14month old wants this read every evening. The artwork is very nice and we are always discovering something new on the pages.

This is such a fun book for children and their Parents! The farm animals are so cute and the expression on their face is humorous! Parent's can have fun giving each character a different voice. This is an excellent book for young children! My son enjoys many of David Shannon's stories, including the David books. The David books are probably more for children past the toddler stage. My son read one of the David books in front of class and the students loved it! The David pictures are pretty funny too.
Duck on a Bike is fun reading for the family!

Duck on a Bike is a really great book. It is about a duck that gets a wild idea and he gets on a bike and starts riding it. Duck rides around the farm. He sees a bunch of animals who thinks he's wonderful, and such a show off, and I'm better and stuff like that. Around the end of the book a bunch of kids rode on bikes to the farm and went inside. All of the animals started staring at the bikes. They all got on a bike. They all got the same crazy idea. "Lets get on the bikes". So they all rode around and around on the bikes. This is so awesome. David Shannon's pictures of the animals are so wonderfully expressed. My favorite expression is the horse. Is because you can tell the expression with out even looking at the words. I would tell you more but then you wouldn't be reading the book because I would of told you the whole book. I would recommend this book to anyone because it is a really great book that you won't ever forget. K.C.