Don't Fidget a Feather!

by Erica Silverman, S.D. Schindler (Illustrator)

Duck and Gander are having a contest. But Duck swims faster, and Gander flies higher. So which one is the champion Then Duck gets an idea: "Don't move," she says, "Don't talk. Don't fidget a feather And the winner will be the one and only, true and forever champion of champions.

But as Duck and Gander stand stock still, along come a host of visitors -- including Fox. Will Duck run? Will Gander? Which is the true champion?

Gentle, funny, and true to life, Erica Silverman's story was inspired by the children next door. S. D. Schindler's rendering of Duck and Gander, which captures perfectly their spirit of rivalry -- and of friendship -- was simply inspired. The result is another irresistible book by the creators of "Big Pumpkin."

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

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1994

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a nightmare! I won't read this to any kid. Nope!!!! Kids don't need to be told a story of the characters almost getting cooked! And before that what the hell is with all that comparisons between a duck and a gander like who's the best. They are different. That's it. Ugh. Children be protected from such books!

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful telling of how bravery and friendship trumps pride. So good, so fun, and funny to read and hear.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This competitive pair of birds finally went too far in this book. They decided to have the kind of contest that every sibling has had in the car at some point in their lives. Whoever moves first loses. Well, these two engage in the contest in an epic sort of way. When a fox sees what they are doing and takes them to his cave for dinner, they nearly end up being eaten all because they don't want to be the one that moves first. It's a stupid thing to risk their lives over, but these are a couple of birdbrains. Thankfully, the story doesn't end with anyone reaching a gruesome, pointless death, but it gets close enough that it seems suspenseful. The story would surely appeal to children, especially children with siblings as this duck and goose seem to simulate a competitive sibling relationship. Well done.

[Marielle McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It’s been ages since I’ve read it but I’ve been looking for it for years. It was my favorite book when I was younger and we checked it out from the library every week. I remember liking the artwork and lot. I also enjoyed the drama and suspense of the story, while being excited over the bravery that friendship can inspire at the end of the book

[Kyoungbin Min · Rating 5 out of 5]

1. No awards
2. 4-7 years
3. A duck and gander started a freeze-in-place contest after they were even in swimming and flying. They never moved a feather even after a fox took them to eat. At last, the duck moved to help the gander and became a true champion.
4. I actually got really frightened after the fox took them. Then I thought, that this book might be scary for younger children. However, it was a really cute story with their little ambition to win.
5. Read-aloud and shared reading

[Misbah · Rating 2 out of 5]

A duck and a goose compete to see whose better at stuff. The duck always wins. The last competition involves who can stay frozen the longest. The are in a deadlock until a fox puts them in a sack and takes them home to be his dinner. Right as the fox is about to put the duck into his soup, the goose forfeits the game to save her friend. In the end the duck says that the goose is the true winner because she let herself lose to save her friend.

It was an ok.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The perils of blindly following are illustrated in this cute and humorous book. Duck and Gander are so intent on deciding which one of them is the greatest at every task that they almost end up being eaten by a hungry fox. (Luckily, they also encountered the world's only fox who cooks his food before he eats it!)

Good messages about speaking up when you need to, as well as the idea that no one wants to be eaten and it's great to share vegetable stew with a friend!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, this is about anyone who lets competitiveness get in the way of common sense. And about true friendship. Funny. And beautifully illustrated. I wish it were more widely avl. so everyone I know could read it.

[Lila Danisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a fun book to read for my son. We had a really fun reading experience. We laughed, and we got so tense toward the end of the book. But the ending was beautiful and funny. My son nervously said he thought it would be a sad ending.
The illustrations were top-notch.

[Lori Tart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have loved this story from the first time I read it years ago. A competition between a duck and a gander makes for a cute read aloud, or better yet a tandem story telling, to figure out who is the "true and forever Champion of Champions." So much fun.

[Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was hooked all the way to the end! This book is about friendship over pride.

[Jc · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story. Many of my young readers fell in love with the story and could not wait to find out what happened at the end.

[Drusilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun surprise ending. Great for prediction with Kindergarten.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great vocabulary words, and a fun story about 2 competitive friends.

[Patrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

BookTree
S&E loved!!!

[Almira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Used this at my preschool story times for many years - the children always loved it, as did I!

[Viviana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe not for super sensitives?
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.......animal wanting to eat smaller animal scene

[Sofia Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the picture book Don't Fodget a Feather by Erica Silverman, the story is being told about a duck and a gander being friends and having small competitions to see which one of them is the "one true and forever champion of champions". First they have a swimming contest to see who could swim the fastest across the lake, and duck won. Next they had a competition of who could fly the highest in the sky, and gander won. Lastly, they had a competition of who could freeze in place for the longest amount of time. When they froze in place first a bee came flying around them, but then next a group of bunnies came jumping around them. This whole time they still composed themselves and stayed frozen in place. Next, a flock of crows came and cawed and fluttered around them, but they were still frozen. This entire time, duck was sure gander would move, but gander remained still. A gust of wind then came and blew gander into a meadow of dandelions, and blew duck into a mulberry bush. Then, a hungry fox spotted gander and duck being frozen and he gathered them up to take them home and eat for dinner. Duck thought for sure that gander would move now but he didn't. When they got to the fox's cave, the fox picked up gander and as he was about to put him in the boiling pot, duck quacked "Don't cook my friend!" and snapped at the fox's tail and nipped at his nose. The fox ran away. Gander and duck were safe now, and gander declared duck the true champion for her noble act. They both then sat down and enjoyed the fox's vegetable stew.
This picture book was enjoyable, fun, and easy to read for young children. When reading, I could see the plot was put into chronological order going from beginning to middle to end. And the main conflict within the plot was person vs. person (duck vs. gander) but then quickly shifted to duck and gander vs. the fox. I thought this was a meaningful story, being able to teach children about the importance of friendship and how being the best at everything among them isn't important at all. I think this book could be helpfully used to read to children or brothers and sisters who maybe compete against each other a lot in their everyday lives, to show them how their friendship has more value than just being the best at everything. The illustrations of this book were done by S.D. Schindler and were done nicely to enhance the text of the book. The illustrations were done in color pencil and mostly done with earthy shades of green. This represents the nature and calming setting this story was taking place in. I thought the pictures enhanced the simple text greatly, and gave the reader a perfect interpretation of whats going on. Overall, I thought this was a great book with good meaning behind it. I highly recommend teachers and parents to read this book to children in read-alouds and help them be less competitive.

[Lesley Dahlseng · Rating 5 out of 5]

A creative look at the trouble pride can bring , friendship won by humility, and what makes a true champion.

A little bit of competition might spice up life a bit, and Duck and Gander are certainly up for any challenge. Each of them take great pride in their abilities, whether it be how fast they swim or how high they can fly. Which of them will be "the one and only, true and forever champion of champions"? That is to be determined by a freeze-in-place contest. Whomever is the first to fidget even a single feather will lose, and judging by their stubborn constitutions, this competition could take a while!

First enters humor. Silverman does not make it easy for these two stubborn waterfowls and Schindler's supporting illustrations perfectly capture their poses within each ridiculous situation. A pesky bee begins to buzz around each of them, making the urge to fidget oh-so familiar to us readers. A horde of fluffy bunnies doesn't make it any easier, cutely hopping over, around, and atop each of them. Then a dangerous downturn: heckling crows seem to foretell of a less humorous twist and, sure enough, Duck and Gander are introduced to their next challenge - a hungry Fox.

Silverman skillfully draws the reader in to experience a wide range of emotions. We may start out shaking our heads at these two prideful characters, yet we can laugh and rejoice in their determination amidst humorous temptations to fidget. As readers, we may even have to fight our own fidgety temptations! By the time their foxy foe enters the scene, our hearts are rooting for their escape and nearly urging them to give up their foolish pride before they become champion soup. Thankfully, Silverman soothes our own turmoil for these two fowls. Who is the first to fidget? You'll have to read this book to find out! In the end, it is not about winners and losers, but what makes a "true and forever champion of champions."

Highly recommended for children ages four to nine!

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 Stars Read carefully... I missed a key element in this book that was the whole point of the story... (I was a bit distracted)

I was going to give this book a horrible review because it didn't make sense. WHY wasn't the Gander and Duck moving when they were in danger!?!?!

Read closer moron (aka me). It clearly says "freeze in place contest" When I looked back and read on paragraph carefully, the story makes complete sense and is a fun story.

The pictures are very blah, with too many dark shades. Done it what looks like colored pencil...just not an all time favorite....FREEZE! DON'T EVEN BLINK!!


Okay game over!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story about bravery and friendship. Gander and duck are in competition over everything; flying, swimming, etc. They end up competing over who can stay still the longest, resisting a hoard of bunnies, buzzing bees and a cluster of crows. When a wind blows them in the path of a fox, they keep up the game, even as fox takes them to his cave to boil them in a pot. Before Gander becomes Fox's dinner, duck nips at fox's nose, chasing fox off. Even though duck looses the contest, he ends up being the brave one, and they both eat the vegetables in the stew together. Very cute story.

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

In reading to my grandson’s 1st grade class this month I chose animal stories because they had just finished their own little reports on animals. “Don’t Fidget a Feather” is a fun read-aloud about a stubborn duck and equally stubborn goose.

Boosting about whom is better, the two decide to battle it out with a stare-down. Much happens around the insanely obstinate rivals, but what’s going to happen when the stakes turn dangerous…pride or sacrifice?

I will just say here that this story is spellbinding to the kids and a lot of fun to read out-loud!

[Felicity The Magnificent · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the book because it was silly and they did a race about who was going to swim at the end of the lake first. And then they had a race to see who could fly the highest. Then they had a contest about who could stay still the most time. And things bothered them, but they didn't move. And then a fox came. And the fox was going to cook them, and the fox cooked the gander. But the duck saved the gander. -by Felicity

[Louise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm, I dunno about this one. Duck and Gander both want to be the True and Forever Champion of Champions. As with anything were people, or birds, want to win at any cost it all gets taken to a rather ridiculous extreme. Duck and Gander can't beat each other with swimming or flying, so they have a competition to see who can stay still the longest. Of course there are some terrible distractions that come their way, and indeed the desire to win is nearly very, very costly.

[Missmath144 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Duck and Goose each claim to be champions of something -- flying or swimming, but to determine who is the true champion of all times, they decide to have a freeze-in-place contest. They don't budge. They don't fidget a feather. Bees buzz around them. The wind blows them over. Rabbits jump on and around them. But they don't budge. They don't fidget a feather. Then fox takes them home for dinner and starts to put Goose in the cooking pot. Read the book to find out who gives in first and moves.

[Victoria Dimmitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short story with amazing illistrations. This story would be a good choice to read to younger children to teach them that you it doesn't matter if you always come in first place. It's the chocies that you make at the end of the day that matter most.

[Sally · Rating 2 out of 5]

Story of a duck and goose who engage in a silly contest that almost gets them killed. eh.

[Dutchbaby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A light-hearted look at competitiveness while modeling that love trumps all, even if it means losing once in a while.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

How stubborn can you be? So stubborn you almost get yourself killed? A few of my kids could use the lesson this book teaches, I've got some stubborn kids!

[Katharine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a fantastic read-aloud. Adorable illustrations, a little repetition, a little funny, a little suspenseful, and a lesson in friendship.