A. Bibliography
McCloskey, Robert. 1941. Make Way for Ducklings. New York: The Viking Press a Division
of Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 0670451495
B. Plot Summary
Mr. and Mrs. Mallard find themselves faced with the issue of finding a proper place to lay their eggs and then raise their ducklings. The ducks embark on an adventures that guides the reader through the city of Boston and leaves the reader with a strong sense of family and how parents provide and protect their family.
C. Critical Analysis
The
main characters of this traditional piece are Mr. and Mrs. Mallard, ducks. The mother duck symbolizes a mother that is
adamant about protecting her children and creating a home that will be suitable
for raising them. The father duck is
supportive of the mother duck’s wishes.
We see the ducks make a compromise toward
the beginning of the book. This
compromise is much like compromises humans in relationships make with their
partners.
It was difficult for Mr. and Mrs.
Mallard to agree on a proper place and they became weary in their journey when
they decided to take refuge for the night in the Public Garden in Boston. The next morning they decided to try and find food in the pond. The Mallards were ready to continue their search when the people on
the boats began to feed them peanuts.
They began to think this place was the perfect place to raise their
ducklings when out of nowhere Mrs. Mallard was nearly hit by a little boy on a
bike. Mr. and Mrs. Mallard were now not so sure about staying in the Public Garden. At this moment, readers young and old can identify with how one event can change how we view a situation.
The ducks began to fly and they found a nice
quiet place to lay their eggs. Although
the ducks found a suitable place to lay their eggs, Mrs. Mallard and the soon
to be ducklings would be faced with another problem of getting back to the
Public Garden to meet up with Mr. Mallard.
This is where the title of the story and the rise in action marry and
the reader is brought to light the true journey the little duck family went on
to be a family.
McCloskey
does a fabulous job of painting the setting with words and illustrations. When he describes the four policemen holding back
traffic for the Mrs. Mallard and the ducklings, the reader wouldn’t fully understand the amount of
traffic they stopped for the ducks if it weren’t for the illustrations showing
the streets of traffic at a halt.
McCloskey also gives the reader an exact geographical location, Boston,
which allows for the reader to either build new knowledge or activate prior
knowledge the reader might have about Boston and the Public Garden. All
of the illustrations are done in black and white and extend over both pages of
the open book. McCloskey does a
beautiful job of drawing each detail of the story so that the illustrations go
beyond the written text. The way the
ducks fall to their tails and jump out of the way of the speeding bike in the
Public Garden is a great example of the detail he put into the illustrations.
At
the end of this sweet story of a family and overcoming obstacles they might
encounter, the Mallard family decides to make the Boston Public Garden their
home. Here the family is happy and
decides it is the best place for their family because the ducklings love it.
The
story itself is somewhat hard to believe because in today's world it is unlikely to see a bustling city come to a halt because of a mommy duck and her ducklings. It is however, a believable comparison of the
journey humans take when trying to find the perfect neighborhood or city to
live when they begin to think about starting a family. The story is also an excellent opportunity to
show that no matter the culture or setting, every living thing looks to
protect and provide for their young.
D. Review Excerpt
A review by,
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/make-way-ducklings
states, "Family is the central theme in this Robert McCloskey classic. The mallard
ducks illustrate love and care in the family. McCloskey describes the adult
ducks carefully selecting a nesting site and, later, teaching the ducklings
basic survival skills. Tension and adventure are created in the story during
their dangerous trip across busy streets to get to the Public Garden and
safety.
Today's children respond with enthusiasm and affection for the ducks and
ducklings, barely noticing the dated cars or police officer's uniform.
Sepia-toned charcoal art on cream-colored paper conveys the story's gentle love
and warmth. Today's children, however, may find the one-tone illustrations
dull. Children will appreciate being able to count all eight ducklings in each
illustration of the family and will check to see that all are present."
E. Awards
Caldecott Award winner 1942
F. Connections
Lesson Plans:
K-2: It would be excellent to incorporate other pieces of literature that focus on animal habitats and their family structure. Students would then discuss similarities and differences in the literature as well as the similarities and differences between the habitats and family structure of the animals.
3-5: It would be beneficial for students to research the history of the book and research the traditions that have come to be because of the book. The students will find the city of Boston has embraced this piece of literature and has even made developed celebrations and commemorated it with bronze statues in the Public Garden.
Links:
G. Other Books By Robert McCloskey
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| ISBN: 978-0140509786 |
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| ISBN: 978-9994568413 |
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| ISBN: 978-0142404157 |
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