“Mrs Melvino,” said Noah, “if Max is our class duck…does that mean we can take him home?”
Abby caught her breath.
Because Noah was right.
Because class pets were allowed to come home if your parents said yes. And Abby’s parents had said yes.
Abby’c class has a class pet – a class duck, in fact. Max is a gentle duck who sits on children’s feet, or waddles and quacks around the classroom. When Mrs Melvino says that no one can take Max home unless they have just the right conditions for a duck, Abby is determined to get things right so that she can be the first one to take Max home.
But Noah, the new boy, who lives in the house behind Abby, wants to be first, too. Even when Abby has her chance to look after Max, it seems Noah is still plotting. Having a duck for a day could prove harder than Abby expects.
Duck for a Day is a delightful new chapter book about class pets, responsibility and friendship. While Abby learns about what it takes to get what you truly want, she and Noah both learn about friendship, and the adults around them learn about trust. Most of all, though, young readers will enjoy the fun of seeing the chaos one little duck can cause as it waddles its way into the lives of the children.
With whimsical grey-scale illustrations by Leila Rudge, this is novel to love.
Duck for a Day, by Meg McKinley and Leila Rudge (ill)
Walker Books, 2010
This book can be purchased online from Duck for a Day. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.