Five Little Ducks - Hardcover

Ian Beck is a popular illustrator of children's books and his work appears frequently in magazines and advertisements. He has designed the jackets of many adult novels including all the Penguin editions of David Lodge and the Alice Thomas Ellis books. Ian's first book for Orchard was Five Little Ducks, which was so successful that a 'Big Book' format was published. The Ugly Duckling and The Orchard Book of Fairy Tales followed and Ian also contributed illustration to The Orchard Book of Opera Stories. Ian has also illustrated The Orchard ABC and Little Angel written by Geraldine McCaughrean. Ian Beck lives in Richmond, Surrey with his wife and three children and keeps in close touch with children through frequent visits to schools and libraries.

``Five little ducks went swimming one day, Over the hills and far away,'' but when Mother duck calls, only four come back. So it goes, in this simple, repetitive tale, until just one is left; luckily, that one is smart enough to open the door of the shed where the fox has put the others and let them out. The story isn't strong on logic, but it makes an appealing counting book with many chances to enumerate the ducklings, spot the fox, and anticipate the outcome. Beck's pen and watercolor illustrations are clean and bright, suggesting real streams and jaunty ducks, yet with the popular appeal of cartoons. (Picture book. 1-5) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.