One Cool Duck #1
King of Cool
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
What's cool, anyway? Skateboards, pizza, arcade games—and being kind! This buoyant young graphic chapter book introduces Duck and pals, kicking off a series that makes real-life friendship issues fun.
Duck is feeling pretty good about himself. He can flip on a skateboard, and he’s a great friend, too. Then Cat comes along and seems so cool, with his high scores on video games—but Cat also does some mean stuff nobody likes! Then Cat gets caught up a tree and needs help. In three short chapters, perfect for readers just gaining confidence, Duck and his pals show Cat that being cool includes helping others and not dissing your friends. Each character has a distinct way of speaking, and readers will love learning how to read and pronounce entertaining slang expression from the fifties and other "cool" eras.
Hippo Park graphic chapter books are ideal for beginning and newly independent readers, with approachable page counts, easy-to-follow paneling, and artwork that supports text comprehension.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Petrik (The Silly Sounds of Christmas) offers a goofy graphic novel chapter book series launch starring bright green Duck, the effortlessly cool leader of a pack of anthropomorphized animal kids living in an idyllic woodland neighborhood. Shades-wearing Duck can "kickflip on a skateboard" and routinely scores highest at the arcade, and his vibe is never aloof—always affable and affirming. But newcomer Cat represents cool's dark side: he's arrogant, contemptuous, and inconsiderate. Duck calls him out ("That wasn't very nice, Cat," says Duck when the feline swipes Pig's pizza slice), but Cat's charisma eventually wins over the rest of Duck's friend group, dampening the fowl's spirit. Bummed, he retreats home and puts away his shades, but reassurance from Grandpa Duck prompts Duck's return to local neighborhood hot spots, where he rescues Cat from an ill-advised tree-diving stunt. Chastened Cat admits he's "been acting like a not-so-nice crumbbum," and Duck invites him to officially join his crew. Dialogue sometimes reads a bit outdated, often feeling as if it's emulating 1950s greaser speech, but the digital illustrations have plenty of authentic verve, thanks to the bright, saturated palette; energetic, expertly paced compositions; and an eager cast savoring their summer independence. Ages 6–9.
