 |
Young Ember, Grace, and Sky have a fondness for ducks and go with their grandparents to the duck pond in the city. They think the area is beautiful, but their grandparents mention that things were not always so nice for the ducks and the people there. As they recount, at a point in the past, people began to feed the ducks, which made them stop foraging for themselves and turned the pond into a rowdy and crowded place. The ducks took up unhealthy habits and became more aggressive, while the pond became a dirty and hazardous spot for families to visit. Then what had happened was pointed out to the community, and laws were enforced to keep people from feeding the ducks. The duck pond once again became a spot for everyone to enjoy.
This story is a cautionary tale about creatures such as ducks becoming too dependent on food from people. It points out that the intention on the part of the people was good, but that it harmed the ducks because they stopped taking care of their own needs. That is a decent lesson for children to learn (especially children who have duck ponds where they live), delivered in a gentle way. The illustrations also add an extra layer to the narrative by showing each step in the development of events, including the sign erected by the end to tell people to avoid feeding the ducks and why. In other words, it is a solid tale with a great lesson for children and adults to internalize.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review