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Make Way For Ducklings

written and illustrated by Robert McCloskey

Make Way For Ducklings written and illustrated by Robert McCloskey is a classic story. Published in 1941, it is the winner of the Caldecott Medal. (McCloskey also won a Caldecott Medal for Time of Wonder.)

Make Way For Ducklings takes place in Boston. We recently returned from a vacation in Boston. It was interesting to see McCloskey's illustrations showing how Boston looked in 1941. The famous sites include The Corner Book Shop, the Boston Public Garden and Beacon Hill. It does not, however, contain the sculpture of the mother duck and her ducklings that now resides in Boston as a memorial to this book.

The story is about Mr. and Mrs. Mallard who are looking for a place to start their family. They search throughout Boston before settling down. Once their chicks hatch they decide to relocate to a "better" neighborhood. As the chicks are not able to fly they have to travel through the city. They have many adventures getting to their new home.

The illustrations in Make Way For Ducklings are fabulous, maybe more so for adults than kids. They are all done in pencils and are not colored. The style actually reminds me of Norman Rockwell. I love the structures like the police booth, the bridge, and even the park benches because they are so detailed. The old cars are very fun to look at too.

Make Way For Ducklings is worth owning.