Knock Knock, Who's There?: Duck at the Door by Jackie Urbanovic

Hi there, everyone!  I hope that your week is going well.  2010 is rolling right along and February is upon us.  Throughout the month, be sure to check out the widget at the top of the page for your chance to win during the '28 Days of Winter Escapes:  Book-A-Day Giveaway' from HarperTEEN (HarperCollins).  Each new day offers you another chance to win a different book and on February 18th yours truly will have a special feature review and author interview so be sure to stay tuned!

With all the excitement going around and new book releases pouring from the woodwork, today's post will be a bit on the lighter side.  Lighter as in length of book as well as subject.  Today's book of choice is....

Duck at the Door
by
Jackie Urbanovic

Meet Max.  He is a bit confused.  You see, he is a duck and it's Winter time, but he decided against leaving with his friends for a brighter, warmer locale.  After all, he was born in the Spring and it was a dandy time, why wouldn't Winter be the same? 

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.  The sound could be heard through the house, and the animal friends inside knew just what to do....get their human friend, Irene!  Irene is a lover of animals as can be seen by her assortment of fuzzy friends, ranging from cats to dogs to bunnies and birds.  It would seem anyone needing a home with love to share is welcome.  But what of the stranger rapping at their door?  Who could it be in this snowy weather?  She opens the door to discover....Max...one freezing little duck!  Unable to turn away this new little friend, she invites him inside to stay for the winter, but when Max begins to get a little TOO comfortable, will he still be welcome?  See what happens when a house guest over steps a few boundaries and what the power of love and forgiveness can really do as you follow Max on his indoor adventure.

So it seems that like Max, most people are wishing that they had sought warmer ground as winter seems to be dragging its feet this year.  Unlike most of them, I actually like the cold.  You see, around here, the two temperature variances are generally HOT and HOTTER.  Any deviance from the norm is a welcome treat....besides you can ALWAYS dress warmer....the other extreme can only take you so far before you become a bit of a spectacle.  Anywho....when I saw this book featured in the recent newsletter, I simply had to take a look.  The drawings are great...imaginative and realistic all at the same time.  I mean who doesn't like to see a duck in it's habitat as well as working the remote control in an easy chair?  (Hmm...in Max's case, it would seem BOTH are his habitat.)  The simplistic nature of the story works well in conveying the meanings seen just below the surface.  Friends and kind souls are not easy to come by, but when they are found, handle with care to ensure a relationship that will blossom and bloom for many seasons to come.

Review copy read online through HarperCollins Children's Books.  FULL ACCESS to this cute story is available for a limited time through the link in the title near the top of this post.  Special thanks to HarperCollins for making it available for all to enjoy online....I'm certain the hard copy edition will find a home on many a child's bookshelf for both the story and the artwork.  This is only one book in a series written by author Jackie Urbanovic and starring the precocious Max.  Check out her website for a look at the other titles that make up this fun collection.

Until next time....happy reading!