Little Quack's Bedtime (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Derek Anderson (Illustrator) "Mama Duck had five little ducklings, Widdle, Waddle, Piddle, Puddle, and Little Quack..." (more)
Key Phrases: little ducklings, sleepy time, Little Quack, Mama Duck

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-K - Little Quack and his siblings, Widdle, Waddle, Piddle, and Puddle, are back in this delightful tale that is sure to please even the pickiest of bedtime procrastinators. Mama Duck is trying to get her offspring to sleep when they spy something going "blink! blink! blink!" on the pond. She looks and sees five sleepy fireflies, "winking 'good night.' That's what is blinking in the dark. Now it's sleepy time, little ducklings." Widdle closes her eyes, but the others hear "whooo! whooo! whooo!" in the distance. Mama reassures her brood that the sound is part of the natural surroundings, whispering good night in its unique way, and that "Now it's sleepy time, little ducklings." Each time, for every reassurance she gives, another duckling nods off, until only Little Quack is left awake, needing some special comfort before drifting off to sleep. Turquoise blues and greens, shadowy grays and soft blacks, and the fuzzy yellowness of Little Quack and his siblings (replete with individual plumage) act as a soothing blanket, surrounding readers with warmth. Pair this story with Jane Simmons's Daisy and the Beastie (Little, Brown, 2000) for even more ducky fun. - Lisa Gangemi Kropp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY
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Review

Thompson's Mama Duck and her ducklings return in a tender tale about things that go bump in the night. As Mama Duck readies her little ones for slumber, an assortment of sights and sounds alarms them. With infinite patience, she discloses the mundane sources of the frightful occurrences, reassuring her ducklings that they are simply observing the nighttime patterns of familiar objects. When Little Quack reveals the greatest fear of tots of any species, questioning why the night is so dark, Mama's thoughtful response is bound to resonate with readers of all ages. Anderson's sumptuous full-bleed illustrations are in deep evening hues, with the acrylic medium lending a rich texture to the paintings. As always, he draws each duckling with distinctively individual flare, from daisy hairclip to punk sticky-up. Youngsters will readily identify with the ducklings' anxieties and find themselves soothed by Mama Duck's explanations. The gentle cadence of Thompson's tale coupled with Anderson's rich illustrations makes this an ideal candidate for the last story of the night. (Picture book. 2-6) (Kirkus Reviews)

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Product Details

• Reading level: Baby-Preschool
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (January 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689868944
• ISBN-13: 978-0689868948
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 10.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #102,456 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Little Quack's Bedtime, March 2, 2006

By	Jersey Joe (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews

My 4 year old loves this book. We discovered the Little Quack series recently and this one is especially sweet. Perfect for a favorite bedtime story. The characters are kind and gentle and the illustrations are beautiful. The caring and loving mother duck tending to her ducklings and their many questions is a pleasure to read. Definitely recommend it to anyone with little ones.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet Night Time Story, January 31, 2007

By	Veronica O'Donnell "momma sez no" (Texas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

My 18 month old has had this book for 7 months. She absolutely adores it. We not only read it at bedtime but whenever the mood arises. She carries the book around and would sleep with it if we let her. The story is wonderful and the pictures inside are so sweet and beautiful. My little one will sit and "read" her book through the pictures all the time. A great one to have around for bedtime. Plus it's not real wordy. The perfect bedtime read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cute book, but it could have been better, January 27, 2009

By	J. Oh "aletheia67" (Auburn, WA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Little Quack's Bedtime (Board book)

(What's this?)

This book, "Little Quack's Bedtime" is exactly that. Little Quack is one of five ducklings that falls sleep the last in the book.

1. The story revolves around five ducklings in their bed time. But each one is disturbed by what they see and what they hear. Until the "moma duck" eases their fear by explaining them. Then, one by one, falls into sleep. That's it. This is the story.
2. The purpose of story seems to be that mothers can ease children's fears by being close to them. (But I couldn't stop think about those kids without their mothers... then this book might not be good for them).
3. The physical book itself is strong and sturdy.
4. The illustrations are well drawn and the colors are rich.

Overall, I like the book (and my son liked it too), but I just thought it could have been better as far as storyline was concerned. Additionally, the price (as of now, $7.99 in Amazon) seems to be too stiff for the product.