Book Review: Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

“Meanwhile Mrs. Mallard had reached the Corner Book Shop and turned into Charles Street, with Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, and Quack all marching in line behind her.”-Robert McCloskey, Make Way For Ducklings

Mr. and Mrs. Mallard are looking for a home in Boston where they can safely hatch and raise their family. Flying over Boston they come to the conclusion that the Public Garden will be the perfect home. After the ducklings are hatched, Mrs. Mallard gets right to work training her little ducklings to swim, dive, and walk in a line. When she feels they are ready to venture out of the pond, Mrs.Mallard takes her children for a walk through Boston so they can meet Mr. Mallard in their new home in the Public Garden. Along the way, they run into traffic and busy roads. Thankfully, Michael, the policeman finds Mrs. Mallard and her ducklings trying to fight the busy traffic and cross the street. He rushes to their aide and stops traffic. Make way for ducklings begins…

Make Way for Ducklings is the endearing story of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard and their seven ducklings. This book has to be an all-time favorite. I absolutely love the story, the artwork, and the setting. Boston is the perfect backdrop for The Mallards. This book is the reason I’ve always had a love affair with Boston. Since I was a little girl I’ve dreamed of walking into the Public Garden and looking for the island where Mr.and Mrs. Mallard raised their family of ducklings.

Growing up, my mother read this story several times. Every time I enjoyed it as if it was the first time. My mom and I would daydream of traveling to Boston, and then we’d pontificate on what the Mallards were doing at that moment.  I think this book is the reason I love ducks and ponds. On weekends, my mother took me to a local duck pond in our home town. I loved feeding the ducks. I would imagine I was in Boston feeding The Mallards.

My family was a golf family…

We grew up playing in golf tournaments all summer long. If I wasn’t playing in a tournament, I was forced to walk the golf course for hours and watch my brothers play. I hated it! Let’s just face it, I hated golf- period!!  On those hot summer days, trudging along the golf course, I would have been bored to tears if it wasn’t for my mother. She and I would spend those hours telling stories, peeking in windows of our favorite houses (golf courses always have the best houses), and looking for ducks on the ponds throughout the course.

One particular memory I have was on a golf course in Long Beach, California. It had several ponds, and there were ducks everywhere. The tournament lasted all week, so every day we would look for mothers and their ducklings. I remember I even made up an imaginary Duck Times in which I reported the events of the local duck families to my mother. I created town names and made up voices for the ducks. There was a duck doctor, teacher, singer, etc. We had so much fun! I credit the inspiration for The Duck Times to Make Way For Ducklings. That story inspired me! And my love of ducks saved me from some horrendously long days on the golf course.

One day I hope to visit Boston…

I will look for the island where The Mallards lived. Then I will stroll through the Boston Public Garden and find the statue of Mrs. Mallard and her seven ducklings: Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, and Quack.

( The famous bronze statue was created by artist Nancy Shon and it is located in the park on a cobblestone path near Beacon Street and Charles Street. )

Next, I will ride the swan boats and eat peanuts just like the Mallard family.

“All day long they follow the swan boats and eat peanuts”

On Mother’s Day weekend Boston has the Duckling Day Parade! Maybe that’s when I should go to Boston.

(What do you think Mom? You, me, and Boston? It would be a great mother/daughter trip. Not only a trip to a city but a trip down memory lane.)

Make Way for Ducklings will always be dear to my heart. When I read this book I think of ducks, dreams-and stories, and laughter with my mother on the golf course.

Love you, Mom!