Daredevil Duck

by Charlie Alder

Overview

Meet Daredevil Duck

He is afraid of everything. But that doesn't stop him from DREAMING of being brave.

Then one day he is given the biggest challenge of all . . .

Can Daredevil Duck prove that he is the bravest duck in the whole wide world?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780762454563
Publisher:	Running Press Book Publishers
Publication date:	05/12/2015
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	502,694
Product dimensions:	9.50(w) x 10.60(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	AD550L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Charlie Alder has illustrated many books for children, including Toot! and Express Yourself!Daredevil Duck is her first authored and illustrated picture book. She lives in Devon, England, with her husband and son, whose exploits on a squeaky red tricycle inspired the creation of her feathered hero. When not drawing ducks, Charlie can be found in her studio drinking coffee, arranging her crayons, and inventing more accidental superheroes. You can visit her at charliealder.com and on Twitter @chuckie346.

Editorial Reviews

"The book's ingenious design features several flaps of various shapes and sizes that allow readers to see Daredevil Duck both as he is and as he imagines himself. This device beautifully supports Alder's valuable message about childhood fears. Simple, sweet, and very effective."
—Kirkus Reviews

“With its bright and colorful pictures and inventive use of flaps to entice young readers to turn the page, Daredevil Duck is a fun and appealing book perfect for any daredevil tricycle rider.”
—BookPage

From the Publisher

11/01/2015
PreS-Gr 2—Daredevil Duck is the bravest duck around…or at least, he would like to be. Although he is afraid of everything, from leaves to puddles, he never stops imagining that he will be courageous one day. While he is daydreaming about being brave, a friendly mole approaches him, and after an initial panic attack, Daredevil Duck agrees to help the mole catch his wayward balloon, which is stuck in a tree. Alder uses partial page flaps to good advantage to show the changing scenes, like a branch snapping in half as the protagonist climbs the tree or Daredevil Duck seeing himself in the mirror as cool and fearless, as opposed to how he actually appears, meek and awkward. This page layout may not hold up well to repeated readings but does add an interactive element that kids will enjoy. The illustrations are basic but match the lighthearted mood of the piece. In the end, kids will cheer for Daredevil Duck as he finally finds his courage in this simple story. VERDICT A charming addition.—Peter Blenski, Greenfield Public Library, WI

School Library Journal

2015-02-16
He braves the wild and performs daring stunts...in his dreams. In his superhero cape, extra-strong helmet, and X-ray glasses, Daredevil Duck is the bravest in the world...sort of. Actually, he wants to be brave but is afraid of many things—things that are too high, too wet, too dark, too fluttery. Sometimes the other ducks tease him. (He rides a rather squeaky tricycle.) But somehow, simply by trying new things, Daredevil Duck manages to conquer some of his fears. Not that there aren't some setbacks: his ride on the lake in an inner tube terrifies him. When he tremulously climbs a tree to rescue a garrulous mole's yellow balloon, he ends up taking an unexpected flight, succeeding at this bit of derring-do. From then on, he tries to be brave in smaller ways, like turning off the light when he goes to bed and zooming on his tricycle without holding on. Though they tease him a bit, his friends get it and actually give him the title of bravest duck in the world, emblazoned in a double-gatefold spread. The book's ingenious design features several flaps of various shapes and sizes that allow readers to see Daredevil Duck both as he is and as he imagines himself. This device beautifully supports Alder's valuable message about childhood fears. Simple, sweet, and very effective. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews