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Quick Duck!

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Where is that duck going in such a hurry? Mary Murphy brings her surefire baby appeal to this bright concept book.This little duckie needs to be quick-quack-quick — leaping out of the mud, scooting under the hedge, running around the flowers, and skipping over the stones. Now he can splash into the river, where his mom and siblings are waiting and ready to go!

16 pages, Board Book

First published July 1, 2012

39 people want to read

About the author

Mary Murphy

68 books28 followers
Children's author and illustrator Mary Murphy enchants even the youngest of readers with her bold style, combining eye-catching graphics and a bouncy text that seemingly jump off the pages.

Mary Murphy has an advanced diploma in Visual Communications and has written and illustrated a number of children's books, including her lift-the-flap, pull-the-tab book about friendship, ROXIE AND BO TOGETHER. In addition to creating children's books, she teaches illustration. The author-illustrator lives in Galway, Ireland.

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5 stars
28 (12%)
4 stars
76 (33%)
3 stars
98 (42%)
2 stars
25 (10%)
1 star
2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Author 49 books136 followers
March 28, 2015
This little board book is a combination of a black outlined little duck and watercolor background painting. The illustrations are simple but engaging and fill each double page spread effectively.

The little duck runs through the mud on the first page leaving footprints throughout the rest of the book until he reaches the water and his family. He goes out of the mud, under the hedge, around the flowers, down the hill, through the reeds, and over the stones.

A great little concept book for children aged 1 to 3.
19 reviews
October 7, 2017
Title: Quick Duck!
Author/Illustrator: Mary Murphy
Genre: Repetitive/ Predictable Book
Theme(s): Animals, Repetitive, Rhyme, Fiction
Opening line/sentence:
Quick, Duck!
Out of the mud!
Quack!
Brief Book Summary:
The book follows a baby duck as he is headed somewhere on each page. From under a hedge, through mud, down a hill, etc. We are lead to his mother and siblings waiting for him.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature)
The very brief and repetitive text--every spread contains the phrase Quick, Duck! as well as Quack! --follows a yellow duckling making its way somewhere. It waddles through the mud leaving tracks that appear on every page. The telltale footprints are seen as duck passes under a hedge, around the flowers and down the hill. This must indeed be very sticky mud. The determined little duckling finds his way through the reeds and over some stones until he reaches a pond to join his mother and the rest of his siblings. The illustrations are simply drawn without much detail, but the concept of place is very clear. Kids who read and are read to will learn the basics of position/place words and also learn why duck was in such a hurry.
http://www.clcd.com/#/bookdetail/1/0/...

Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Publishers Weekly
A wide-eyed and enthusiastic yellow duck takes center stage in this unstuffy introduction to prepositions. “Quick, Duck! Out of the mud! Quick, Duck! Under the hedge!” writes Murphy, as her tiny hero, outlined in thick black ink and painted in bright watercolor, makes its way past flowers, through reeds, and over stones to meet its family for a swim. A companion book, Slow Snail, which is available simultaneously, tackles the same concept (at a slower pace). Ages 1–3.
Response to Two Professional Reviews:
Both reviews agree that the book is good for prepositions and how simple the pictures are.
Evaluation of Literary Elements:
The book is definitely appropriate for very young children, as each page has about 5 words and some are repeated. The style is extremely basic with easy pictures and elementary vocabulary. The duckling takes over the pages, which makes the book simple and not too cluttered.
Consideration of Instructional Application:
I think the most effective way to use this book is to teach prepositions. Also, for a read-aloud maybe get a rubber duck to imitate what “over”, “under”, “around”, etc. mean.
21 reviews
March 15, 2019
Fairly simple, yes - but as others have mentioned, teaches prepositions in a clear approachable way. Little ones love saying "quack" on each page - and my 7-year-old granddaughter, now reading chapter books on her own, still wants me to read this as a bed time story 'just like when she was little.'
Profile Image for Heather Jo.
1,879 reviews9 followers
July 6, 2018
lily summer reading 2018, board book, concepts, directions,
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
652 reviews2 followers
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January 24, 2024
Board book. 1-2 sentences or phrases per page. Repetition of "Quick, duck! (Through/over/under) (something!)". It teaches little ones basic directions. Very short.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Regina.
39 reviews1 follower
September 15, 2013
Quick Duck! by Mary Murphy is charming board book about a quick duck’s travels out of the mud, under the hedge, around the flowers and onto his final destination—the pond! Young children will enjoy following duck’s muddy footprints across the pages. Mary Murphy’s cartoon character portrayal of the duck will endear small children. Her eye-catching bold colors done in ink and watercolor will keep their focus on the book as well. This book can be used to teach students the concept of positional words or prepositions such as under, over, and through. To teach young children about opposites, pair Quick Duck with Mary Murphy’s Slow Snail.
Profile Image for Vivian.
2,397 reviews
September 22, 2016
Introduce baby to complex concepts (for baby) such as "out", "around", "under", "down", "through", and "over". Help baby's vocabulary with words such as "mud", "hedge", "flowers", "hill", "reeds", and "stones". Play with opposite concepts of "slow" and "quick". Let baby find the duck on each page. Let baby say "quack!" with the duck on each page. Play "splash!" with baby on the last page by slapping legs with hands while exclaiming SPLASH! Talk about duck finding its mother duck and sibling ducklings. So much fun to be had with one little book!
Profile Image for Samantha.
4,985 reviews60 followers
September 26, 2013
Duck's in a hurry, but where is he going? Follow him over under, here and there until he ends up at his destination: the pond!

I read this aloud to a classroom of babies today and had so much fun with it! Ink and watercolor illustrations give the book a lovable softness to its look and text is full of great vocabulary and enthusiasm. Babies and toddlers.
Profile Image for Gwen the Librarian.
799 reviews51 followers
January 15, 2015
This is a simple & effective board book for tots that combines their love of ducks & quacking with some good prepositions.

Personally, I love anything Mary Murphy does and I'm a big fan of her simple illustrations.
Profile Image for Elisabeth.
2,050 reviews24 followers
February 20, 2013
Over, under, around and down - great words to know and I think this would be way fun with felt "muddy" duck prints!
Profile Image for Peacegal.
11.7k reviews102 followers
July 23, 2013
A duckling races toward the pond, leaving muddy footprints all the way.
Profile Image for Roxanne.
Author 1 book59 followers
August 19, 2013
Loved this - can't wait until my daughter is old enough for books with a bit of a plot.
Profile Image for Leah.
875 reviews6 followers
August 6, 2016
Simple and repetitive story about a duck going through water, reeds, etc. to catch up with his family. Sweet addition to babytime.
Profile Image for Sarah.
16 reviews
September 15, 2015
Good for teaching prepositions. Simple and sweet with a little duck.
Profile Image for Ame.
1,451 reviews
November 28, 2016
A truly quick read which emphasizes prepositional phrases.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews

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