  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 03/01/2013 Gr 1–3—Eager to experience local customs and cuisine on their trip to Tokyo, jet-setter Dodsworth and his accident-prone duck visit Yoyogi Park, where they find a girl's lost toy, a kendama. Dodsworth promises the duck that if he can stay out of trouble while they take a bus tour, visit a museum, and attend a festival, he'll treat him to some wagashi, dessert. Predictably, the duck doesn't quite succeed, though he does inadvertently impress the locals and return the lost toy. When finally enjoying his long-awaited treat, he ends up making another mess, but his ever-patient companion just laughs. The Japanese words and complex vocabulary will make this chapter book a challenge for young readers, though Egan's pleasant, colorful panels help to decode their meaning. For an adventure in a foreign country, the plot lags slightly. Purchase only where other Dodsworth books are popular or to supplement curriculum on Japanese culture.—Jenna Boles, Washington-Centerville Public Library, OH - Copyright 2013 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 05/01/2013 Though Dodsworth has misgivings about taking his mischievous duck to Japan, “a land of customs, manners, and order,” the bird behaves pretty well as they visit a restaurant, a park, and a Tokyo museum. The duck’s antics at a temple antagonize the crowd, but he wins their respect through his kindness to a little girl. Children will find plenty to like about the hapless duck, who tries to be good but can’t always manage it. Illustrated with pleasing ink-and-watercolor artwork, this amusing story is told in three chapters. From the Dodsworth series, another fine, funny book for beginning readers or for reading to younger children. - Copyright 2013 Booklist. Loading...
 |