Come Along, Daisy! (Paperback)

~ (Author) "You must stay close, Daisy," said Mama Duck..." (more)
Key Phrases: Mama Duck

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Daisy is one darling duckling. But she does have a problem staying close to Mama Duck during their watery wanderings. "Come along, Daisy!" is the refrain of this simple, engaging picture book, as Mom tries to keep her distracted daughter under her wing: "But Daisy was bouncing on the lily pads." After all, Daisy has other fish to spy ... and frogs to play with. When "something big" stirs beneath her, and something screeches in the sky above, however, the dilly-dallying duckling hides in the reeds, shivering. What could that scary reed rustling be? Preschoolers will be delighted to discover it's only Mama Duck, once again asking her Daisy to come along. Jane Simmons's bold, bright illustrations are not only adorable, they are artfully composed. Youngsters ages 3 and older will be charmed and comforted by this sweet read-aloud about a mother's gentle protection. (Baby to preschool) --Karin Snelson --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

PreS?"Come along, Daisy," says Mama Duck, but distractions abound and, like any toddler, Daisy can't help lagging behind. Stopping to hop across lily pads with a frog, she is left all alone. Suddenly the sun-drenched pond seems a little frightening, until Mama appears at just the right moment. The inquisitive duckling is an expressive splash of yellow in Simmons's blue-green pondscapes; the story unfolds in a series of watery panoramas amid bold forms and broad strokes of color. Art and text work inseparably here to create a winning character parents will find endearingly familiar and children will know as one of their own. Both cautionary and reassuring, artful and artless, this is a gem of a story and a masterful piece of picture-book artistry.
Marcia Hupp, Mamaroneck Public Library, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (March 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316168785
• ISBN-13: 978-0316168786
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 9.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #232,613 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great teaching book!, November 25, 1999

By	Julia's mom (Honolulu, Hawaii) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Come Along, Daisy! (Hardcover)

Come Along, Daisy is a wonderful way to introduce the importance of staying with Mommy/Daddy when away from home. My 2 1/2 year old daughter is careful not to lose me "like Daisy got lost" when we are out. The book is also a pleasure to read...the illustrations are so cute...and the ending is always happy :)

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Even good for children younger than 3, December 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Come Along, Daisy! (Hardcover)

My 15-month-old toddles over to me constantly with "Daisy" in his hand. There isn't too much text on each page for him to sit though (but it's interesting enough for me to like it) and he loves the illustrations and pointing to Daisy to say "Duck!" The lessons in the book can be learned as he gets older, so it's a good book to grow with.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Daisy Daisy, give me your answer do, December 21, 2004

By	E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Come Along, Daisy! (Hardcover)

I suppose, in the strictest sense of the term, that "Come Along, Daisy" could be categorized as a cautionary tale. I mean, certainly there are negative consequences for any child that refuses to heed his or her mother while traveling. Still, the book cautions without scaring. It's a remarkably tender little tale that manages to be evocative and dark without descending into morbidity. And it's just doggone sweet.

Daisy is a young duckling, still wearing her yellow feathers and trailing after her mama. While out in the swamp one day, Mama tells Daisy to heed her and to not fall behind. Daisy, however, is too distracted to listen closely to her mother. There are fish to observe and dragonflies to chase. There are lily pads to jump on (with a "bouncy, bouncy, bouncy. Bong, bong!") and frogs to observe at close proximity. Unfortunately, soon Daisy's frog hops away leaving the small helpless duckling very much alone. Things under the lily pad scare her. Things flying up in the sky scare her. And a very loud noise definitely scares her. That is, until she find out that it's just Mama Duck with her customary, "Come along, Daisy". Needless to say, Daisy learns her lesson.

This is just one of the latest in a long line of books that inform children not to get separated from their parents in public spaces. Of course, it doesn't engage in much of the way of practical advice. Mama Duck doesn't tell Daisy that if she gets lost she should stand in one place and not move. But I suppose Mama Duck is in charge of the situation the entire time in this story. In any case, this is a just a good story that tells kids to listen to their guardians when out n' about. Author Jane Simmons also doubles as an illustrator for this story, and it is here that she really stands out and shines. Simmons has a grasp of perpective and tone that just fits her story like a warm comforting glove. Painted entirely in thick beautiful paints, the book shows the slight tints of the early morning sun, the fetid marshes when Daisy is abandoned, and the eerie green cattails of an unknown swamp. Characters are rendered beautifully as well. When Daisy is happy she leaps about with toddler-like abandon. When scared, her eyes stare blankly out behind an enormous worried beak. And when she sees her mother, at long last, her entire body arches towards her, going as fast as she possibly can.

Children can handle tales of abandonment if everything turns out well in the end. "Come Along, Daisy" has the added delight of there never being a particularly dire threat to the little duckling in the first place. Even that dark image of a hawk flying above shows Mama Duck swimming placidly nearby. There is great comfort in reading about Daisy's adventures. This book is a perfect little lesson about the bond between a child and its guardian, specifically that between mother and child. A wonderful beautiful book.