Eve’s Ducklings

Eve’s Ducklings is a cute picture book for children in the 3-5 years age group. It is about Eve and her grandfather who take daily walks across a lake where Eve tries to make friends with two ducklings.

She tries to hold, hug, and grab the ducklings. But the ducks don’t appreciate her approach. She tries quite hard, but the ducks still stay away. Her daily antics lead to minor incidents (except for the one where she fell into the lake–it can be fatal, and children should not take this lightly!)

Over time, Eve stays away from the ducks. A few days later, she tries a different way of befriending the ducklings, and is delighted with their reaction.

Emelie Wiklund’s illustrations in watercolor and ink are bright and beautiful. The author has used simple vocabulary, however the word play is interesting.

Her relationship with her grandfather is adorable. He encourages her to explore, but I wonder why he never tells her even once to not touch the ducklings at all! It would have sent a stronger message if the adult in the story had guided the child. Also, the font size could have been slightly larger.

Keeping the target audience in mind, the author has not gone into a detailed explanation of the message. And the gap opens doors to engage children in a discussion in a more play-way method.

Eve’s story sends out a message of being kind towards animals and respecting their space. It is a good read for young kids – simple, with a beautiful message. 

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bonny Books. 

Wordsopedia Rating 3/5

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About the Author

Maria Monte is an experienced communications specialist and received her honors degree in English literature from La Trobe University. Her spare time is divided between family, caring for her young son, and writing children’s books. A native of Melbourne, Australia, Maria enjoys mochas, watching Netflix when her son naps, and losing herself in wiki rabbit holes.

Get in touch with the author on her website.