Little Ducks Go

¡Me gusta leer!

by Emily Arnold McCully

Six little ducks are whisked down a storm drain, and its up to Mother Duck to get them safely back home in this adorable story from a Caldecott-winning artist.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Storytime, Birds

Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Emily Arnold McCully received the Caldecott Medal for Mirette on the High Wire. The illustrator of more than 40 books for young readers, she divides her time between Chatham, New York, and New York City.

Reviews

[Danette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet book about some lost ducklings who get reunited with their mother.

3/25/17 Read with Naomi & Julia.
10/12/18 Read with Julia

[David Gillespie · Rating 1 out of 5]

A far cry from McCloskey. Enough said.

[Teresa Bateman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little ducks go. Mama duck leads. Little ducks--watch out! Little ducks fall through a grate. Mama duck seeks help. People get involved and the family is reunited. This is a very simple, yet surprisingly heart-warming, story by award-winning author/illustrator Emily Arnold McCully. The text is perfect for a beginning reader to enjoy that glorious feeling of reading success. The watercolor illustrations are perfectly suited to the text, carrying much of the story as the ducklings delight in their adventure, and Mama does what she can to seek help. New readers need lots of material. They go through those short books so quickly! This is one that they will want to read and reread. I used this book with classes of students from kindergarten to second grade, and it was universally enjoyed, even by those students whose reading level is much higher.

[Carly Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw this book on the shelf at the library and thought the photo on the cover was so cute, so I decided to give it a try and read through it. I am glad I made that choice, because this was just as cute as the cover. The illustrations are great and tie in with the text which is great for younger kids! It is an easy picture book for beginning readers. It uses repetition and is adorable. It is also well structured. We should not judge a book by its cover, but I did. I thought it would be a good book, and guess what? It was!

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of Little Ducks Go was very cute and heartwarming. The book follows the adventure of the little ducks that fell down a drain. The mother duck is frantic to get her little ducks back. Finally, a nice man is able to help the mother duck out and get the little ducks out of the drain. The watercolor illustrations are very well done. They seem alive with the mother's franticness and the little ducks excitement for adventure. While I think everyone would enjoy reading this very cute tale, it would be best suited for kindergartener to 1st graders.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

While out walking with their mother, the Little Ducks fail to watch where they are walking, and end up down in a sewer. Mother Duck does all she can to rescue her babies, but help is needed from others. Many helping hands are involved to help Mother Duck reunite her with her Little Ducks.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mother duck and her six little ducklings go for a walk, but the babies are so small they fall through a grate. The mother needs help to save them. Nice illustrated story with a good ending in this easy to read book.

[Concetta Kellough · Rating 5 out of 5]

A scary thought for a mother duck to see all her ducklings go down into the water sewer. She follows them from overhead on the street until a kind man opens the cover to the sewer and rescues the ducklings. I liked the story.

[Pinky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un hombre salva a los patitos que se cayeron por una alcantarilla y se los devuelve a su mamá.

Ducklings return to their mom thanks to a kind stranger who saw something was wrong.

[Sasha_Shardee · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute!

[Kamesha Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

Children's book #7

Summary
Six little ducklings are swept away down a sewer away from their mother. The mother duck guides them from the street as she quacks and they cheep. She comes across the opening of the sewer in the middle of the street. A kind man helps her and rescues the baby ducks using a net. The mother and her babies are now together again.

Activity
Split the book up into five different events:
1. Ducklings slide into a sewer
2. Mother duck guides them from above ground
3. Mother duck runs into the middle of the street
4. Man helps rescue the ducklings
5. Mother duck is reunited with her babies
Mix these events up and see if the students can put them in the correct order. This will test their recall skills and teach them about the importance of sequence of events.

Citation
McCully, E. A. (2014). Little ducks go. Malaysia: Holiday House.

[Kristi Betts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful pen and ink and watercolor illustrations perfectly set the stage for this wonderful story about a mother duck and her six ducklings. With the repetitive sentence, "Little ducks go," and the ducklings responses of "Cheep, cheep, cheep" to their mothers calling, young readers will quickly pick up on these words and feel successful as readers. Themes associated with this title include the following: animals (fiction), easy readers, and science and nature.

This title is recommended for first grade, or children between the ages of 4 - 8. It is leveled at C based on the Fountas and Pinnell Guided Reading Level and focuses on reading standards for Literature and Foundational Skills in the English Language Arts Common Core Standards for kindergarten through second grade.

[Erin Buhr · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mother duck and her little ducklings are walking along the edge of a street. Unfortunately, there is no friendly police officer to assist them across the street like there was in MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS and the little ducks get swept down into the sewer. The anxious mother duck follows them from above waddling from grate to grate along the street. The book is intended as an early reader and I was impressed by how well Emily McCully captures the mother's frantic concern in her illustrations and brief words. Will the mother duck find a way to get the ducks out? The love of a mother, a suspenseful event, and the sweetest of ducklings are all adoringly captured in this sweet book.

[Clare Rossetter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple text that shares an animal rescue story that is great for prekindergarten students. A mother duck and her ducklings are out for a walk and the ducklings fall through a sewer grate. Mother duck follows them and tries to get them help. She is able to get a man to help her save the ducks and then a child who is watching takes the ducks home. A great way for very early readers to begin learning about caring for animals and reading on their own as the sentences are very simple and the story moves very quickly. PPCD students could act out the story as a way to keep them engaged with the text.
Colors are muted and not bright and look almost like watercolor work.

[Elizabeth S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely, lovely pictures. The plot is more complex than the simplified text can convey, so it didn't make much sense to my preschooler. I ended up explaining as much as I would have for a wordless book.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the tradition of MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS, this is just a sweet little book that introduces humane concepts to the very youngest of children. Animals have feelings to and it's a good thing when grownups help animals in trouble.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

An adorable story about ducklings who explore their neighborhood, making human friends along the way. Short, simple sentences and controlled vocabulary make this an excellent choice for children just beginning to read independently.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easier version, for a longer version, try Eva Moore's Lucky Ducklings.

[Tracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When 6 ducklings are whisked down a storm drain, Mama Duck must find a way to rescue them. Pair with Lucky Ducklings by Eva Moore, based on true events that took place in New York in 2000.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and simple. Could have kids quack and cheep!

[Marissa Elera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ducklings in peril! I love the I Like to Read series.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh...a little below my boys reading level. But they seemed to like it. One even wants to be a duck now.

[Monica Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mama is always there!

[Julie Dietzel-Glair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only 39 unique words yet McCully still crafts an entire story. Great for beginning readers.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Proof that there are a few good people.

[Roben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mother duck's babies fall through a grating on the street. Will someone be able to fish them out and return them to their mama?

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ducklings whisked down a storm drain and rescued with the help of a kindly human.

[The Bougie Twins · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Mama’s Hysa Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very simple and very sweet.