Nobody's Duck

Starred review from November 20, 2017
For no apparent reason, an idiosyncratic duck takes up residence on a fussy alligator’s lawn. Ignoring Duck’s insistence that “I’m nobody’s duck!”, Alligator plops Duck into a toy wagon and heads to town to find a responsible party (“You must be somebody’s duck”). No one claims Duck, but the bird is far from dejected. In fact, each stop is an opportunity to treat Alligator to a new adventure, including story time at the library, a 3-D creature feature, and a skydiving lesson. It’s almost too much for the buttoned-up Alligator, but then it dawns on him: Duck is the companion he’s been looking for: “You are my duck!” For all of Duck’s goofiness and the ostensible shaggy dog plot, Sullivan’s broadly cartooned, all-dialogue story is an exquisitely constructed comedy, a twist on the unwelcome guest plot with not a single beat or visual joke out of place. Is it a lesson about being open to new people and experiences, or just silliness done right? Think of it as a twofer. Ages 4–7. Agent: Justin Rucker, Shannon Associates.

February 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 1-An anxious alligator unwittingly befriends an adventurous duck in this silly comics-style story. Alligator is astonished to find Duck sitting on his front lawn. When he asks to whom he belongs, Duck declares he's "nobody's duck!" But Alligator is determined, and hauls Duck in a wagon to various places (the library, the go-kart track, the movies) in order to find out where he has come from. In the end, after enjoying several exciting activities together (including skydiving), Duck declares that he is, in fact, Alligator's duck. As there's limited text, the digital illustrations are filled with details (including Duck's many accessories) that really tell the story. As in comic books and graphic novels, children will need to discriminate between the words the characters say and the illustrations that offer much more information-a valuable literacy skill. While the panel style may make storytime sharing challenging, families will enjoy one-on-one time with the book. VERDICT Pair with Julie Falatko's Snappsy the Alligator and His Best Friend Forever (Probably), another story about unlikely friendships (with alligators).-Mary Kuehner, Arapahoe Library District, CO

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2017
Can a duck who belongs to nobody find a somebody?An engaging duck paints its toenails while sitting on a lawn and ends up sleeping there too, complete with striped bedcap and stuffed bunny. A suspicious alligator homeowner who has been observing the stranger comes out in the morning and demands to know: "Whose duck are you?" After some thinking, the white waterfowl finally comes up with the unacceptable answer: "I'm nobody's duck!" The unusual pair sets out on a series of adventures that eventually bring them closer together than their chilly introduction would suggest. The alligator is determined to find out where the duck belongs, inquiring of the library and the giraffe librarian, the movie theater with its porcine cashier, and so on. The animals deny any relationship to the duck, but the alligator finally realizes the exciting changes in a previously lonely, boring life and embraces this new relationship. The minimal text appears in accessible speech balloons that instantly allow "reading" and retelling. The details in the colorful digital illustrations are hilarious. The duck wants to borrow an extremely large stack of books at the library; both animals wear their 3-D glasses in the movies; and the alligator is scared silly in the go-kart. The final joke may fall a little flat, but there is much to enjoy here as two different personalities (and species) form a new family. (Graphic novel. 4-6)

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August 1, 2017
Preschool-G This story of two animals that form an unlikely companionship begins when a duck takes up residence on an alligator's lawn. Whose duck are you? the alligator demands. The reply? I'm nobody's duck! Convinced that the duck must belong to someone, the alligator, with duck in tow, travels to a library, a movie theater, a go-kart track, and an airport for skydiving to find the duck's owner. It is clear from page one that, while the alligator might appear to have it all, it is the quirky duck who is in control. The duck is carefree and relishes all of their adventures, but the alligator becomes increasingly agitated, until he realizes how the duck has enriched his life. The textconsisting entirely of cartoon-style dialogue bubblesis minimal, allowing the illustrations to tell the story and provide the humor, while also making this highly appropriate for beginning readers. Yes, friends can be found in unusual places, and there can be plenty of humor in the telling.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2019
The odd duck camping out uninvited in Alligator's yard says, "I'm nobody's duck," but Alligator insists on finding someone to claim his wacky visitor. As they search, Duck drags Alligator into increasingly hair-raising adventures before finally declaring, "I am YOUR duck!" Surprised, Alligator finds himself agreeing. The cartoon-style illustrations help give the characters their distinctive personalities in this funny tale told entirely in speech-balloon dialogue.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)