Keep Up, Duck!
Ivan and Rachel Bates
Walker Books

Puck , the smallest of Mamma Duck’s brood has trouble keeping up with the others as they make their way to the lily pond. By the time they reach the boating lake Puck is way, way behind so Mamma calls, “Keep up, Duck!” Puck looks around at the boats and being an astute little thing, comes up with a solution that sees him hopping and plopping to rejoin the rest of his family.

However he soon falls behind again and again he responds to the titular “Keep up, Duck1” from Mamma by hop, hopping onto a skateboard, then a child’s seat on an adult’s cycle and plopping back with his siblings. But then barking dogs cause another distraction

so Puck hop hitches a ride from one dog then another until with a final plop! he reaches the lily pond at last. And guess what: despite being smaller than all his siblings, diminutive duckling Puck has become the speediest.

Told using a repeat pattern text with a wealth of onomatopoeia and splendidly expressive watercolour and pen scenes of the adorable ducklings and their journey, this problem-solving tale is a delight to read aloud to young children. I suspect it will become a storytime favourite with foundation stage listeners. It would also be a great book for early readers to try for themselves.