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Slug Days #3
Duck Days
The third title in the acclaimed Slug Days Stories, now
in paperback. Irma is Lauren’s best friend. Irma knows all the strategies
Lauren uses when her Autism Spectrum Disorder makes it hard to “go with the
flow.” Lauren helps Irma learn English words and understand unfamiliar customs.
So why does Irma suddenly want to introduce Lauren to her mountain-biking,
litter-dropping neighbor Jonas? Why is Irma calling Jonas her friend? As if sharing Irma weren’t bad enough, Lauren also has an
alarming new problem at school. Their teacher has announced a mountain biking
day when the students will learn to ride their bikes on an obstacle course. But
Lauren still uses training wheels. She just can’t face the teasing she will get
when her classmates see them. She isn’t brave like Irma. She can’t go with the
flow like Dad. How can she possibly face this challenge?
From author Sara Leach and illustrator Rebecca
Bender comes an honest and warm-hearted successor to the critically
acclaimed Slug Days and Penguin Days . With straightforward text
and frequent black-and-white illustrations, Duck Days is an accessible
chapter book for any young reader with mountains of their own to climb.
in paperback. Irma is Lauren’s best friend. Irma knows all the strategies
Lauren uses when her Autism Spectrum Disorder makes it hard to “go with the
flow.” Lauren helps Irma learn English words and understand unfamiliar customs.
So why does Irma suddenly want to introduce Lauren to her mountain-biking,
litter-dropping neighbor Jonas? Why is Irma calling Jonas her friend? As if sharing Irma weren’t bad enough, Lauren also has an
alarming new problem at school. Their teacher has announced a mountain biking
day when the students will learn to ride their bikes on an obstacle course. But
Lauren still uses training wheels. She just can’t face the teasing she will get
when her classmates see them. She isn’t brave like Irma. She can’t go with the
flow like Dad. How can she possibly face this challenge?
From author Sara Leach and illustrator Rebecca
Bender comes an honest and warm-hearted successor to the critically
acclaimed Slug Days and Penguin Days . With straightforward text
and frequent black-and-white illustrations, Duck Days is an accessible
chapter book for any young reader with mountains of their own to climb.
104 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 13, 2020
1 person is currently reading
40 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 19, 2021
Portrays in a poignant, realistic style, the struggles but also perseverance and achievements of a third-grade girl with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Students challenged by this issue will find good company here. Students who are not will gain understanding of classmates who do. Teachers and parents might find it useful to kick off a discussion about autism or the need for patience with, and acceptance of, other people's differences.
October 26, 2020
Having enjoyed the two previous books featuring Lauren--Slug Days and Penguin Days--I was eager to see what this particular protagonist was up to in Duck Days. Lauren has learned several coping skills to deal with her autism, but sometimes those techniques don't work particularly well. When she visits her best friend Irma, she is surprised and confused that Irma has another friend named Jonas. As she deals with her conflicting emotions about this development, she also becomes anxious about the class mountain-biking day. After all, she still has training wheels on her bike, a fact that prompts some cruel comments from Dan, one of her classmates. Despite her dread and fears, Lauren does participate in the obstacle course set up for the students, even using Jonas's advice to let negative comments and fears roll off her back like ducks do with water. I liked how Lauren still struggles with various activities and feelings but how she continues to grow. The pencil and digital illustrations add humor to the story and help readers understand Lauren better. The subtle handling of Lauren's autism blended with the fears of typical youngsters makes her quite relatable.
December 2, 2020
I received a Digital ARC of this book through PW's Winter/Spring Galley Giveaway. An okay addition to early chapter books featuring character's with ASD; however, the characters and plot didn't capture your heart or achieve the memorability such as A Boy Named Bat. It was very formulaic in plot structure and would have enjoyed more character development. Lots of talking points about handling being brave and coping with a change in routine, so it could be a good read aloud for these specific purposes.
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November 4, 2022See my full review here: https://www.yabookscentral.com/duck-d...
DUCK DAYS is a sweet chapter book about friendship, being brave, and trying new things. Lauren is a young girl on the autism spectrum, and she has a playdate with her best friend, Irma. When Lauren arrives, things don't go quite to plan with Irma talking about her other friend, Jonas. Lauren worries about what this means for their friendship and worries that she might not be brave enough for Irma, especially given Jonas's cool bike tricks and that she still uses training wheels.
As other things come up with the bikes, Lauren begins to realize that she can be like a duck and not worry about the mean things some children will say - letting their words and laughter roll off of her like water on a duck. She also learns what it means to be brave and a friend in her own way.
What I loved: This was a great story about what it means to be a friend, bravery, and trying new things. Lauren is wrapping her head around a potentially fraught visit with her best friend, when new situations come up and she must try her square breathing and to go with the flow. Children will get a glimpse into what these things can feel like to someone who is on the spectrum, and the authors note at the end expands on this a bit more.
The chapter book style will work well for middle elementary school aged readers, who will also appreciate the cute black-and-white images throughout the story that help bring it to life. The topics and length are best suited to young middle grade readers and the simplicity of the story will make it better for this younger aged crowd.
What left me wanting more: While I appreciated the messages around bullying with trying to ignore what other children are saying and even a bit of friends standing up for each other, it would have been great to have an adult step in or give other tools for handling these situations. It can be really hard to ignore.
Final verdict: DUCK DAYS is a simple and cute illustrated chapter book about friendship, bravery, and other challenges. This will work best for middle elementary school aged readers.
DUCK DAYS is a sweet chapter book about friendship, being brave, and trying new things. Lauren is a young girl on the autism spectrum, and she has a playdate with her best friend, Irma. When Lauren arrives, things don't go quite to plan with Irma talking about her other friend, Jonas. Lauren worries about what this means for their friendship and worries that she might not be brave enough for Irma, especially given Jonas's cool bike tricks and that she still uses training wheels.
As other things come up with the bikes, Lauren begins to realize that she can be like a duck and not worry about the mean things some children will say - letting their words and laughter roll off of her like water on a duck. She also learns what it means to be brave and a friend in her own way.
What I loved: This was a great story about what it means to be a friend, bravery, and trying new things. Lauren is wrapping her head around a potentially fraught visit with her best friend, when new situations come up and she must try her square breathing and to go with the flow. Children will get a glimpse into what these things can feel like to someone who is on the spectrum, and the authors note at the end expands on this a bit more.
The chapter book style will work well for middle elementary school aged readers, who will also appreciate the cute black-and-white images throughout the story that help bring it to life. The topics and length are best suited to young middle grade readers and the simplicity of the story will make it better for this younger aged crowd.
What left me wanting more: While I appreciated the messages around bullying with trying to ignore what other children are saying and even a bit of friends standing up for each other, it would have been great to have an adult step in or give other tools for handling these situations. It can be really hard to ignore.
Final verdict: DUCK DAYS is a simple and cute illustrated chapter book about friendship, bravery, and other challenges. This will work best for middle elementary school aged readers.
December 1, 2020
Irma is Lauren’s best friend. Irma has immigrated from Sweden, and she is still learning to speak English. Lauren is on the Autism Spectrum, so while she helps Irma with her English, Irma helps Lauren with techniques to cope with her Autism. One day, Irma introduces Lauren to her new friend, Jonas. Lauren gets upset that Irma now has a new friend. Jonas wants to teach them some bike riding tricks, which intimidates Lauren because she still uses training wheels. When her teacher schedules a bike riding activity, Lauren has to find the courage to ride her bike with training wheels in front of her class.
I loved the Autism representation in this story. Lauren had a lot of visual techniques to help figure out the world around her. She would make hand signals with her father to signal how she was coping with the current situation. Her teacher taught her with flash cards with emotional cues in facial expressions so she could try to read the emotions on the faces of other people. Lauren’s Autism also meant that she liked to have everything scheduled, so when Irma brought another friend over to play with them, it threw her off. Lauren ended up liking Jonas too, so the experience wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be, even though it changed her planned schedule.
Lauren helped Irma with her English, which showed some representation of the immigrant experience. Irma had to go to school and learn a language that she wasn’t familiar with, but she had the courage to do it every day. Lauren would correct Irma’s language, but at least Irma was trying to speak, even when she got it wrong. They were both brave little girls.
This is a great children’s book!
Thank you Pajama Press for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the Autism representation in this story. Lauren had a lot of visual techniques to help figure out the world around her. She would make hand signals with her father to signal how she was coping with the current situation. Her teacher taught her with flash cards with emotional cues in facial expressions so she could try to read the emotions on the faces of other people. Lauren’s Autism also meant that she liked to have everything scheduled, so when Irma brought another friend over to play with them, it threw her off. Lauren ended up liking Jonas too, so the experience wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be, even though it changed her planned schedule.
Lauren helped Irma with her English, which showed some representation of the immigrant experience. Irma had to go to school and learn a language that she wasn’t familiar with, but she had the courage to do it every day. Lauren would correct Irma’s language, but at least Irma was trying to speak, even when she got it wrong. They were both brave little girls.
This is a great children’s book!
Thank you Pajama Press for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 5, 2023
Ok, straight up? This is an incredible children's book (for elementary school-aged children) that shows a real and honest portrayal of a young autistic girl existing alongside the regular trials of being a kid. The book doesn't make us pity her or infantilize her as so many children's books have done in the time I was growing up, it just shows a normal experience of experiencing overstimulation, high anxiety, and how neurodivergent people tend to connect with others (or how we might have a harder time connecting with our peers), among other things.
I think if I had picked up this book when I was in elementary school, I would have found a lot of answers for things I (nor the people around me) could understand. And that is how you know a children's book is purposeful - it's not just a throwaway story dumbed down for children who certainly don't need to have things dumbed down for them - it's a book that guides empathy, normalizes neurodivergency, and reiterates that neurodivergent people are literally just people. Yes, we might need to do a few things a bit differently than you sometimes, but when we have the right access and support we can do it just as well - which seems so simple for me to understand, but apparently baffles way too many.
ALSO, the ending is A++. I won't spoil it, of course, but Sara Leach knows what the kids need to read. And, apparently, 24-year-old late-diagnosed neurospicy folks who never once read a kid's story that represented them when they could've really benefitted from the realization that there will be people that understand them... Or whatever. Thank you for writing these books! I truly hope they reach so many!
I think if I had picked up this book when I was in elementary school, I would have found a lot of answers for things I (nor the people around me) could understand. And that is how you know a children's book is purposeful - it's not just a throwaway story dumbed down for children who certainly don't need to have things dumbed down for them - it's a book that guides empathy, normalizes neurodivergency, and reiterates that neurodivergent people are literally just people. Yes, we might need to do a few things a bit differently than you sometimes, but when we have the right access and support we can do it just as well - which seems so simple for me to understand, but apparently baffles way too many.
ALSO, the ending is A++. I won't spoil it, of course, but Sara Leach knows what the kids need to read. And, apparently, 24-year-old late-diagnosed neurospicy folks who never once read a kid's story that represented them when they could've really benefitted from the realization that there will be people that understand them... Or whatever. Thank you for writing these books! I truly hope they reach so many!
February 25, 2021
Lauren has a new best friend in Irma, and is worried that she might lose her friendship to Irma's neighbour Jonas, who is a better mountain bike rider. Lauren is still on training wheels and her worries come to a head when the school holds a mountain bike skills day. Added to her problems is the mean teasing by Dan, a schoolmate. We see and feel Lauren's story through her eyes and senses, and her perspective as a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I appreciated the insight into how Lauren experiences and reacts to the world. I also loved how the children in the book rallied together to help Lauren take on her big fear. Everyone can relate to being scared of trying something for the first time, and not being as good as others. The delightful illustrations in Duck Days bring humour and emotion to this wonderful story.
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November 11, 2022Lauren is starting a new year off, and it is going pretty well. Her best friend Irma is in her class, and her arch nemesis Dan is not (though she still has to content with him on the playground). Then, life throws a few curveballs her way. See, Lauren has Autism Spectrum Disorder, and she has a hard time with change and learning to be flexible. When her best friend Irma wants Lauren to join her in a new challenge, Lauren might need more than her breathing techniques to help her through. Can Lauren exercise bravery, and what in the world can she learn from ducks to help her? Read this charming story to find out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 26, 2025
I think this is my favorite early reader book that I have ever read. The plot is subtle and the focus is on emotions and characters. Though some of the issues are made more difficult for Lauren due to her Autism Spectrum Disorder, they are still relatable to children who are not on the autism spectrum, as well. There are no evil villains, and everyone has realistic emotions. It is a beautiful story about overcoming your fears, trying new things, and making new friends. I think that Duck Days is a very important book to have in libraries and bookstores, as there are not very many books for kids that include children with autism respectfully.
December 5, 2022
This book might be the third in the series, but is slightly a standalone story. However, it would probably be best to read the others first. A modern story about a girl on the Autism spectrum tells her story about being a third grader, her best friend, learning about friendships having many forms and what it means to be brave. The tone of the story is classic, even slightly old fashioned but is strongly set in the "here and now." A few black and white illustrations highlight some of the points and scenes. They are fun, and sweet, and support the story.
April 24, 2021
3.5
I love the concept of featuring a girl on the Autism Spectrum, and the book does demonstrate and discuss concrete ideas that kids can try when they are upset.
I also need to admit that this is book 3, but the first one I have read. It does look like there has been a continuing story about a boy that she just doesn't get along with, Still, this book seems to make everything a little too smooth and wrapped up in a nice little bow.
I love the concept of featuring a girl on the Autism Spectrum, and the book does demonstrate and discuss concrete ideas that kids can try when they are upset.
I also need to admit that this is book 3, but the first one I have read. It does look like there has been a continuing story about a boy that she just doesn't get along with, Still, this book seems to make everything a little too smooth and wrapped up in a nice little bow.
February 26, 2022
This book came into our lives at exactly the right moment. Maddie’s been having some big emotions at school surrounding friend disputes and this was perfect. And Kait has been reluctant to learn to ride without training wheels, but because of her height those are hard to find to fit on a bigger bike for her.
Maddie really responded to the don’t flip your lid, go with the flow, square breathing. Kait seemed impressed by Lauren’s advances in biking, so I’m excited for our summer this year.
Maddie really responded to the don’t flip your lid, go with the flow, square breathing. Kait seemed impressed by Lauren’s advances in biking, so I’m excited for our summer this year.
April 12, 2021
Great story about a young girl with autism but focusing more on the challenges of friendship, being embarrassed about training wheels, and classmate bullies. I certainly would’ve related to it well as a 3rd grader with anxiety. It does touch on how autism lets her approach the world differently, appropriate to the 6-8 reading level. I would suggest this to any kid around that age, regardless of neurological makeup
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February 1, 2024Lauren experiences the world differently then other children her age. She is on the Autism Spectrum. She needs to take things slowly, do some square breathing and move with the flow. Her class will be experiencing a day of mountain biking, but Lauren still has traning wheels. With the help from her friends, she will be brave and overcome her difficulties.
December 16, 2020
Lauren has Autism Spectrum disorder; in this title she learns a new coping skill. A great book about friendship that I would recommend for Grade 3-4 readers. It would also make a great family read with discussion about Autism. In the end we all want the same thing: acceptance.
February 4, 2021
Very cute. Main character is a third grade girl with autism spectrum disorder. Her Father deals with it very well and has some great strategies for her. She has a best friend who also does a great job!
May 16, 2022
An approachable and engaging short chapter book. Well-grounded in the child's voice and matter-of-fact about her ASD diagnosis and coping techniques, this gentle story about facing your fears and trying new things is sure to resonate with early to mid elementary-aged readers.
July 18, 2024
Sometimes you have to think like ducks and let the words of others slide off...while you trying something brave and new. I loved this series.
April 29, 2025
Sara Leach’s chapter book series—Slug Days, Penguin Days, and Duck Days—offers a heartfelt and authentic portrayal of Lauren, a third grader on the autism spectrum. Each book serves as a standalone story, but together they build a nuanced picture of Lauren’s world, giving readers insight into her strengths, struggles, and triumphs.
Through Lauren’s perspective, readers are invited to experience the challenges of navigating social interactions, unexpected changes, and sensory overload. These themes are handled with care and honesty, illustrating the way seemingly everyday situations can feel overwhelming to someone on the spectrum. Lauren’s voice is genuine and relatable, making her journey accessible for young readers who may share her experiences or want to understand them better.
What stands out about this series is the balance between portraying Lauren’s difficulties and celebrating her strengths. The books gently show how Lauren’s supportive network—family, teachers, and friends—helps her navigate her world and find ways to thrive. This sense of encouragement and empowerment is central to the series' appeal.
These stories are perfect for children in grades 2-5. They offer representation for kids on the spectrum and encourage empathy and kindness in all readers. Understanding is the foundation for inclusivity, and Sara Leach’s series provides an engaging and effective way to build that understanding. Highly recommended for school libraries, classrooms, and home collections.
Through Lauren’s perspective, readers are invited to experience the challenges of navigating social interactions, unexpected changes, and sensory overload. These themes are handled with care and honesty, illustrating the way seemingly everyday situations can feel overwhelming to someone on the spectrum. Lauren’s voice is genuine and relatable, making her journey accessible for young readers who may share her experiences or want to understand them better.
What stands out about this series is the balance between portraying Lauren’s difficulties and celebrating her strengths. The books gently show how Lauren’s supportive network—family, teachers, and friends—helps her navigate her world and find ways to thrive. This sense of encouragement and empowerment is central to the series' appeal.
These stories are perfect for children in grades 2-5. They offer representation for kids on the spectrum and encourage empathy and kindness in all readers. Understanding is the foundation for inclusivity, and Sara Leach’s series provides an engaging and effective way to build that understanding. Highly recommended for school libraries, classrooms, and home collections.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews