Ducks have been very important in our lives for the last seven years. Hazel's birth announcements were duck magnets. Then there is Ducky. Who knew her lovey would be a duck? After all this she has loved ducks all of her life. She gets very excited every spring when our spring visitors return to the brook that runs along our back yard.
If you do not know this classic book that was originally published in 1941, it is about Mr. and Mrs. Mallard who are flying around to find a good place to nest and raise a family. They finally decide on a spot on an island on the Charles River. There they meet a policeman who feeds them peanuts. Then Mrs. Mallard lays her eggs and soon they have eight ducklings. Mr. Mallard goes off to explore the river a bit and they decide to meet at the Public Gardens where they first landed in Boston. The policeman hears them trying to cross the busy street and stops traffic for them and then calls to the station to have more police help these ducks make their journey. This is a feel good story and it is wonderful to see the people taking care of the animals.
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| A Duck Family We Saw in Our Neighborhood |
I recently read an article on-line where Robert McCloskey shares that he saw ducks in the Public Gardens and a few years later heard stories about the ducks causing traffic problems and that is from where the inspiration for this book came. The story describes various neighborhoods and sites throughout Boston as well. Even though it has been 75 years the story still rings true for Boston and yet brings the reader back to a simpler time.
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| We had to stop to let them cross! |
Hazel was so excited to see the statues. She couldn't wait. We had been reading the book quite a bit before we went. We are due for another trip to the Public Gardens.
There is also a furniture store near us that has Beantown which is a jellybean representation of Boston (aka Bean Town). Included in this is the Make Way for Ducklings statue. Going to the furniture store is always an experience and is a common place to take visitors. They are restaurants, ice cream and an IMAX theater in the store as well.
As you can see Make Way for Ducklings is all around us and so are ducks!! I hope you will take time to check out this great anniversary edition. Hazel cannot wait to hang the poster in her room!! Between the ducks and the parts of Boston she LOVES it! To go with this amazing book I thought I would do a round-up of our various duck crafts.
1) Paper plate swimming duck
2) Paper plate ducks
3) Thumbprint duck
4) Duck peg doll
5) Duck hand sanitizer favors
6) Balloon duck
7) Duck cake
8) Duck bag
9) Paper pom pom duck
10) Pine cone ducks
