Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Nobody's duck by Mary Sillivan


One of the most popular parts of every school library, in my experience, are the joke books. Nobody's duck reads like an extended joke - a joke every young child is sure to "get". Their laughter will be infectious - you the reader parent and child can be assured that reading this book everyone will be laughing at the end. Oh and do make sure you look at the back cover which shows the next scenes from the story.

Duck meets another fellow.

"Whose duck are you?"

"Think think think ... I'm nobody's duck!"

His new friend is not satisfied with this answer and so the pair head off, in the style of "Are you my Mother?", to unearth the truth. At the library he asks a giraffe; at the movie theatre box office he asks the pig ticket seller; at the go-cart track he asks an elephant; finally at the sky diving both they ask the dog attendant. This duck does not belong to any of these characters.

Exasperated the new friend asks the duck again: "Whose duck are you?"

"I am your duck." comes the reply.

"So, if you're MY duck, am I your alligator?"

"I thought you were a crocodile."

As with all the "best" picture books you do need to take time to explore all the tiny details in the illustrations. Alligator observes Duck painting her toe nails, sleeping and playing with a chatterbox.


Duck empties her bag searching for an answer to the crucial question. You will see hats, undies and a bowling pin come flying out. Duck puts on her thinking cap. It even has a light bulb on the top. At the library notice the book that Duck is reading. It surely is the perfect choice for a library:


The pair buy movie tickets to see "Dogzilla: Monster from the pond". It is a 3D movie (you can see their special glasses). In 2014 Mary Sullivan talked to KidLitTv.

Here are some other titles by Mary Sullivan:





Ball by Mary Sullivan received a Theodor Geisel Honour in 2014.

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