From the book blurb: A quest for the perfect birthday present leads to ever grander (and ever more imperfect) gift ideas in this clever metafiction story that's hilarious any day of the year. 'I wanted to get you the greatest present ever' our narrator tells us. But somehow, none of the best ideas seemed to pan out. First, there was the pair of hand-knitted birthday socks (have you ever tried knitting birthday socks?). Then, the ten-scoop ice cream cone (a disaster to carry), the magic kit (it disappeared, just like magic!), the apple juice-fueled jet pack (still a few kinks to work out) and the dinosaur (I couldn't find one anywhere). And now, time has run out, and our narrator still has nothing to give. Or, maybe there is something after all. Something that contains all those awesome gifts in one. Something that can be enjoyed again and again, just by turning the pages ... In their debut picture book, Emmy Award-winning children's television writers Mike Erskine-Kellie and Susan McLennan have created a laugh-out-loud story filled with heart. The metafiction approach (speaking directly to you) and fun story together with the antic exuberance of Cale Atkinson's bold and colorful illustrations make this a lively read-aloud that will keep even the youngest children engaged. Though a book about finding the perfect birthday present is itself the perfect birthday present, it's also simply a delightful read for any time of year. It also offers an excellent character education lesson on perseverance. My thoughts: This was a realy cute story about trying to find the best possible present for its friend. The pace is fast, and the illustrations are entertaining. There is a fun twist- I don't think I will giving it away by repeating what the blurb has already said- this is a metafiction book. My toddler enjoyed the perseverance of the duck in the face of repeated failures. At the moment, he is very excited about any kind of present, but we also had a little discussion about what makes a gift suitable for a particular person and how the duck thought about its' friends interests and needs, put in thought, effort, and creativity in choosing what to give. It is a fun book, but there is also a great message of caring for each other and showing it. Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. The Expected Publication date: April 7th 2020. Comments are closed.
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