  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 08/01/2017 This story of two animals that form an unlikely companionship begins when a duck takes up residence on an alligator’s lawn. “Whose duck are you?” the alligator demands. The reply? “I’m nobody’s duck!” Convinced that the duck must belong to someone, the alligator, with duck in tow, travels to a library, a movie theater, a go-kart track, and an airport for skydiving to find the duck’s owner. It is clear from page one that, while the alligator might appear to have it all, it is the quirky duck who is in control. The duck is carefree and relishes all of their adventures, but the alligator becomes increasingly agitated, until he realizes how the duck has enriched his life. The text—consisting entirely of cartoon-style dialogue bubbles—is minimal, allowing the illustrations to tell the story and provide the humor, while also making this highly appropriate for beginning readers. Yes, friends can be found in unusual places, and there can be plenty of humor in the telling. - Copyright 2017 Booklist. School Library Journal - 02/01/2018 PreS-Gr 1—An anxious alligator unwittingly befriends an adventurous duck in this silly comics-style story. Alligator is astonished to find Duck sitting on his front lawn. When he asks to whom he belongs, Duck declares he's "nobody's duck!" But Alligator is determined, and hauls Duck in a wagon to various places (the library, the go-kart track, the movies) in order to find out where he has come from. In the end, after enjoying several exciting activities together (including skydiving), Duck declares that he is, in fact, Alligator's duck. As there's limited text, the digital illustrations are filled with details (including Duck's many accessories) that really tell the story. As in comic books and graphic novels, children will need to discriminate between the words the characters say and the illustrations that offer much more information—a valuable literacy skill. While the panel style may make storytime sharing challenging, families will enjoy one-on-one time with the book. VERDICT Pair with Julie Falatko's Snappsy the Alligator and His Best Friend Forever (Probably), another story about unlikely friendships (with alligators).—Mary Kuehner, Arapahoe Library District, CO - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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