Quack! [Hardcover]

Arthur Yorinks (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

This story, written by 1987 Caldecott-winning author Arthur Yorinks and illustrated with quilts by textile artist Adrienne Yorinks, tells the tale of Quack, a little duck who builds a rocket and takes off for the moon. Once there, he misses his animal friends back on earth and decides to parachute home. Written in "quack" language, this book is great for reading aloud to fledgling duck-lovers everywhere.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1-Quack, a little pink duck, is feeling adventurous, so after looking through his telescope, he decides to take a trip to the moon. After blastoff, his friends-the raccoons, Little Dog, Mrs. Cow, and the crocodiles-miss him. Meanwhile, the duck is so sad that he decides to return home, and all of the animals are happy. This quirky story is written in "the international language of Ducks." Simple phrases, such as "But the Raccoons," "And Little Dog," and "Even Mrs. Cow," are written in English, but the dialogue is in Duck: "And the Crocodiles? `Quack quacked Quack, too!'" The colorful, full-page illustrations were created from hand-sewn quilts. Each fabric collage is a rainbow of different colors, including soft purples, blues, oranges, greens, reds, and yellows, and the artist has worked an amazing amount of expression into each animal's face, from the pink crocodiles to the forlorn raccoons. Although this is an odd duck of a book, very young children will love saying the word quack over and over again, and may be speaking the language of ducks for hours after reading the story.
Kristin de Lacoste, South Regional Public Library, Pembroke Pines, FL
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Arthur Yorinks is the author of 25 books for children, including Hey, Al, winner of the 1987 Caldecott Medal, and Louis the Fish, a Reading Rainbow main selection. Adrienne Yorinks's first picture book, Stand for Children by Marian Wright Edelman, was called a "stunning children's book debut" by Publishers Weekly. Since then, she has gone on to illustrate Eugene O'Neill's The Last Will and Testament of an Extremely Distinguished Dog, and The Alphabet Atlas to great critical acclaim. A celebrated artist, Ms. Yorinks's unique textile work has been seen throughout the United States and around the world. Her commissions include Look At Their Faces, a work created to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the City University of New York, and AFL-CIO, 13 Million Voices Strong, a piece to celebrate the AFL-CIO's commitment to civil rights in America. She is currently a professor at Brookdale College, where she teaches Psychodrama and Creative Arts Therapy. Ms. Yorinks had a dog grooming business in New York City for 15 years, where her clients included the Rockefellers, Cyndi Lauper, and the NYPD bomb squad dogs.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 24 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (March 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810935481
• ISBN-13: 978-0810935488
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,037,338 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Clever and fun, November 8, 2010

By 

Mazzie Bee "Teacher and Mom" (New Jersey, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Quack! (Hardcover)

I thought this book was original and hysterical when I got it out of the library...I thought my kids were going to LOVE it...but, while my 2 yr old and four yr old enjoyed it, they didn't like it as much as me and their father....oh well! That's what libraries are for. We aren't buying it yet. Bummer!

5.0 out of 5 stars My daughter's favorite book, September 10, 2006

By 

JB (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Quack! (Hardcover)

I have to admit, when I was given this book -- whose text is predominantly the word "quack" -- I was skeptical. It seemed a little like a cop-out to avoid writing clever dialog, but once I read it to my 14 month old daughter, I was sold. It immediately became her most requested book. At her age, repeating animal sounds is fun, and nothing is better than a book full of "quack." She can even read along! She's now almost 17 months and "Quack!" is still her favorite (although Dr. Suess runs a close second).

5.0 out of 5 stars Quack rules!, May 2, 2006

By 

Mark Bailey "part-time reader" (Paris) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Quack! (Hardcover)

This is such a great book. My kids love it and my wife and I get a kick out of it as well. There is something quircky and witty about using sounds in the place of words, and when kids get it; it's really fun for them. My 2 year-old especially loves this book. He has now taken to substituing words in everyday speach with other animal sounds. Its pretty funny. Anyway, if you have a child, under the age of about 4 I would buy this book right now. Your kid(s) will love it!