Both
of my boys have always loved being read to and my oldest now
able to read himself can often be found with his nose in a
book. I was the same way myself as a kid (and obviously so
now with all the reviews I do!). Admittedly, I love the
chance I get when things are calm to sit down with them in
my lap or near me and read a story to them. I’m not great
with character voices, but I give it my all and I always end
up having just as much fun as the boys do when listening.
Victoria Valentine has presented a wonderful children’s book
called The
Cutest Little Duckie that is already a hit in
our house. When I first learned of the book I was excited
to read it – who wouldn’t love a cool new book to share with
the kids? When I received it I was a bit surprised at its
length but still thrilled for the chance to read it. I
wasn’t disappointed. No – this book isn’t a quick read, but
it’s a great story to sit down and enjoy at bedtime with the
boys.
The Cutest
Little Duckie introduces you to well, the cutest
little Duckie! We meet Duckie on his pond where he longs to
fly and see more of the world. In comes Monkey who is just
looking for a best friend, and then later down the road
Duckie and Monkey meet Bear who is lost and looking for his
Mama. This book is a great little story about friendship,
about dreams coming true and even about fears. I was
impressed with how well Victoria Valentine pulled together
so many aspects of what a child (and adult) experiences into
one book. She subtly introduces the concept of making
friends that are different than us, of keeping promises and
also of standing up for each other and teamwork. The story
itself is cute, touching and a pretty easy read for a
bedtime story or just a story to snuggle and read with my
little guys. Although it’s rated for ages 2-10, I imagine
younger kids would have a difficult time sitting still for
the book due to its length. Age 3-4 they would be able to
grasp the concepts and “get into” it enough to sit quietly
and listen for the duration.
Valentine is an excellent author who writes fluidly with
great descriptions that make you feel as if you are in the
very scene you are reading about. Her characters are cute,
lovable and easy to become attached to. Having read another
of her books in the adult genre, I knew I would love the way
she writes, I certainly wasn’t disappointed and was
definitely impressed with her ability to be so versatile.
This book gets 5 stars and is one I have already recommended
to my local library children’s department. I think it’s a
great little book to be given as a gift to a 3-5 year old.
It’s also an excellent book to use in
daycare/preschool/kindergarten setting as an object lesson
on friendship and acceptance.
**Thanks to Victoria
Valentine and Valentine Press for the opportunity to read
and review this book on You Brew My Tea. I was not
monetarily compensated in exchange for this review. I
received the book listed above in exchange for my honest
review on this blog.**