The Duck Who Came for Dinner

Praise

BOOKLIST
 
Advanced Review – Uncorrected Proof
Issue: February 1, 2024
The Duck Who Came for Dinner.
By Steve Smallman. Illus. by Joëlle Dreidemy
Apr. 2024. 32p. Tiger Tales, $18.99 (9781664300354). PreS–Gr. 2
Wolf and Little Lamb are hanging clothes out to dry when a strong wind sends their laundry
flying. The two friends and Omelet, their alligator, chase the clothes. Little Lamb snags a sock,
while Omelet snatches a pair of pants. Meanwhile, the wind blows a little duck into an apple tree,
where she bumps her head and injures her wing before falling into Wolf’s arms. Wolf and Little
Lamb call the duck Apple and take her home to nurse her. Though eager to fly, she’s hampered
by injuries. One day, while they’re flying a kite, it lifts Little Lamb into the air. Determined to save
her friend, Apple leaps after her, rescues her, and regains her ability to fly. The fifth picture book
in the Lamb Who Came for Dinner series introduces a small but determined character to the cast
and concludes the story in a child-pleasing way. In the colorful, expressive illustrations, the
outdoor action scenes contrast nicely with the cozy atmosphere inside Wolf and Little Lamb’s
home. A lively addition to this appealing series.
— Carolyn Phelan