Quackers

by Liz Wong

Jumpstart's Read for the Record® selection!

A cat who thinks he’s a duck?  He must be Quackers!!
This quirky funny book is about standing out, fitting in, and building a life with room for all.
 
Quackers is a duck. Sure, he may have paws and whiskers. And his quacks might sound more like...well, meows, but he lives among ducks, everyone he knows is a duck, and he's happy.

Then Quackers meets another duck who looks like him (& talks like him, too!)—but he calls himself a cat. So silly!

Quackers loves being among his new friends the cats, but he also misses his duck friends, and so he finds a way to combine the best of both worlds. Part cat, part duck, all Quackers!

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Cats, Childrens, Storytime, Friendship, Humor

34 pages, Board Book

First published March 22, 2016

Reviews

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

If it meows like a duck...

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quackers is a duck . . . right? I mean, he hangs out with the ducks down at the pond, and he only knows ducks, so, of course he's a duck. And, then he meets a duck of a different, um . . . shape. This duck has whiskers, and a tail . . . just like Quackers.

This is a cute tail about finding your own way, while still being true to yourself. The author's illustrations are a delight.

[Kid Lit Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quackers is a terrific story for kindergarten and first grade, where kids might come into contact with differences for the first time. Anyone feeling they do not fit in, might gain insight from Quackers. Adopted kids or foster kids may have split allegiances. Quackers can show them it is okay to belong to two groups—or two families.

To Read the Full Review and View Interior Spreads, Go To: http://bit.ly/QuackersDebut

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quackers was a duck. He knew he was a duck because he lived at the pond with all the other ducks, and because everyone he knew was a duck. He might have been unlike the other ducks, but there was never any question that he was one. Then one day he met Mittens, a duck that seemed more like him than any he had met before. Through Mittens, Quackers discovered the life of a cat - the pleasures of chasing mice, the enjoyment of lapping milk. Was he through being a duck, or could he be both feline and anatine?

A charming and humorous title, Quackers is author/artist Liz Wong's debut picture-book, and pairs an engaging tale of a cat experiencing an identity crisis with immensely appealing artwork. The visuals here, from the decorative end-papers, complete with adorable ducks and cats, to the cute-as-a-button feline (anatine?) hero, are immensely appealing, and really increased my enjoyment of the story. Recommended to anyone looking for fun children's books featuring characters who feel somewhat out-of-step with their peers, and who struggle to find their place in the world.

[L. McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

SUPER FAST REVIEW:
Aww! This book is very cute and humorous! It’s a funny story of a cat who lives at a duck pond so he thinks he must be a duck!
My only real problem is that the cats in this for some reason stand on their hind legs for the entire book, that’s a little odd.
Also mixed thoughts on the art. It’s often adorable...

...but other times iffy (especially the faces).

Overall it’s a lot of fun. An adorable and very humorous story that I think animal lovers and/or fans of silly humor will enjoy.
Recommended.

4/5

[Rebecca Gomez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm...there are some flaws in this book that keep me from loving it. One is that it switches tenses suddenly. Another is the story's solution. Quackers thinks he's a duck, but then he meets another cat who helps him learn that he really is a cat. But in the end, the book says he IS a duck AND a cat, because he does duck and at things. Maybe it is simply meant to be a metaphor, but a cat can't be a duck, no matter how much he loves his duck friends. I would have preferred the story to approach this in a more honest, believable way, showing that ducks and cats don't have to BE the same in order to get along or even be part of the same community.

[Polly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Children have to pay attention to the words and not the pictures when reading this book. It's been a great book to teach individuality (what makes us unique) / community (what makes us a group). I highly recommend it and wish Liz Wong has more books for us!

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rather liked this one. We follow quackers, a cat raised by ducks, as they try to figure out where they belong in the world

[Christina Mallory]

Text-To-Self Connection

From my own personal experiences, this book reminds me of a time when I met a new friend at work. My friend was a little bit younger then I was but she was mature for her age and she was genuinely nice to me. I knew that we shared many interest with one another but I was afraid of how my already long-term friends would treat her since she was new in my life. I believe in having fun with all of my friends at one time, I do not like to isolate or pick and choose when I can hang out with them. I finally got up enough courage to invite her out to one of my outings with my other friends and to my surprise(my friends can be some mean girls at times) everyone enjoyed themselves and had many things in common. I was so relieved and glad that all of my friends could come together and share special moments with me with feeling singled out.

[Cloud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baby loved this book. I loved this book. Overall a win.

I liked the message of this book, and it's just cute and held my girl's attention. She kept demanding this book after lunch or dinner. I would consider adding it to our home library if she still wants/demands it down the road. The art is very cute and nice language.

[Jennifer Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book about being different and still being able to fit in.

[Kacey Lundgren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book! So fun. Similar to Not Quite Narwhal in terms of story. Very funny. We have cats and my three year old loves cats and ducks so this book was perfect. Highly recommend this book!

[Bmack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute book about a cat who thinks he is a duck until he meets a cat who take him to the farm to see the other cats. He likes what he sees but misses the pond and his duck friends so he decides to live in both places and have the best of both worlds so to speak!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This made me laugh out loud a couple times; super cute illustrations which work well because of their charming simplicity.

[Shallowreader VaVeros · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is awesome! I love ducks!

[Allison Seyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic. Squee!

[Carmaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Duck, Duck, Quackers!

What do ducks and cats have in common? Read Liz Wong’s animated fable Quackers and explore life in a pond and on a farm. If you can relate to a person who does not fit in a crowd, you may understand how this main character feels. If you have ever experienced lack of communication, you may have waddled in this main character’s feet.

Wong’s charming Quackers is a cat who acts like a duck. When he meets a cat, he learns about cats, their habits, and their environment. Explore the life of a duck and learn how to communicate by witnessing the gestures and sounds of a duck. Although algae, slugs, and worms are not his favorite meal, Quackers does not complain. Floating and swimming are not his favorite exercises. Resting on a lily pad may not be a common setting for a cat; however, Quackers is familiar with water. Cats do not mind that he is different, and ducks accept him drinking milk and catching mice.

Enjoy the simple rhyme and clever alliteration. Be amused by joyful tone and imagery. Read, listen, sing, play, dance, and act the role of ducks and kittens. Rather than playing the traditional game of “Duck, Duck, Goose,” try Duck, Duck, Cat! Illustrations enhance the story, focus on the characters, and encourage imagination. Readers and listeners can visualize the setting, smell the scenery, and almost taste the flavors.

By the end of the story, Quackers is friends with the ducks and the cats. Sing the song “The More We Get Together!” or other nursery rhymes. Although Quackers has a unique identity, he is happy and accepted by others. His friends do not try to change Quackers, or make him choose if he is a cat or a duck. If you wish to build relationships, make connections, laugh, dance, and play, read Quackers.

Liz Wong is the author and illustrator of this positive reading experience fostering a love of learning and inspiring goodness in others by combining the best of both worlds in any situation. Evoke empathy and kindness by sharing this sweet tale about understanding, acceptance, and learning “you can be whoever you want to be!”

Quackers by Liz Wong was selected for this year’s October 19 Read for the Record event. Join the world’s largest shared reading experience. The Emporia Public Schools, Emporia Public Library, area school and public librarians, educators, parents, and day care providers are to be applauded for promoting and supporting Read for the Record. In addition, Dr. Dennis Kear of the Kansas Masonic Literacy Center has scheduled over 4,000 students to participate in this celebration.

“Jumpstart is an early education nonprofit organization fueled by the core belief that providing high-quality early learning opportunities to all children contributes to breaking the cycle of poverty.” Details are available at https://www.jstart.org/event/read-for... with free downloadable activities, resources, and games in Spanish and English for all ages.

Carmaine Ternes, Librarian, Researcher, Writer, Presenter
October 2017

[Annie MacPherson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story about making peace with internal dissonance and tensions of identity/self-understanding. I also loved that the text was hand-written with very neat, expressive penmanship, as this is an area I believe children struggle with today: why hand-write at all when you can just type? Unfortunately, although I appreciate and enjoy the thematic sentiments and illustrative design of this book, I couldn't see past the small quirks that make the story implausible, that could cause confusion for children. For example, Quackers does not enjoy cleaning himself. I realize this is meant to add a comedic element to his self-discovery in the context of the story, but it is unnecessary misinformation for young readers. Furthermore, cats tend to chase ducks and even prey on them. Believing they could be friends denies the reality of the natural food chain, an area of natural biology children tend to know little about because of the widespread domestication of our world. I realize this is a pretty uptight perspective to have on a children's book, but it really took away from the story for me. I am not sure how the choice of these specific animals is meant to strengthen the metaphor. For this reason, I can only give the book 3-stars, despite its exciting attempt to address early issues of identity dysphoria.

[Alyssa Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book "Quackers" written and illustrated by Liz Wong is a great book to teach individuality and the importance of being true to who you truly are regardless of what society says you are supposed to be. The story begins with Quackers (a cat) talking about his life as a duck. He had never seen or experienced being a cat and has thought his whole life that he was a duck. Until he meet a cat one day who introduces him to all of the things that they should do as cats. Quackers enjoys them, but misses his life and friends at the duck pond, so he chooses to ignore the labels of "cat" and "duck" and spends time with the other cats and at the duck pond. I think that this is a great story for children entering school or other social situations for the first time because it teaches them to be true to who they are. I also liked that the words were embedded within the pictures making the experience reading the book more enjoyable for young children.

[Maxine Fife · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a cat named Quackers who thinks he is a duck. He soon meets another cat, who explains to Quackers that he is in fact not a duck, but a cat. This other cat takes him to a barn where he learns who being a cat is all about. After spending time in the barn, Quackers starts to miss his old friends, the ducks. He realizes that he likes being a cat and also being a duck, so Quackers decides he can do both and spends his days between the barn and the duck pond. I really like this story because it shows children it is okay to be around people who are not similar to you. I think this book is really good for young children and has an important message behind it, which I also think all children need to hear.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quackers lives with the ducks at the pond and therefore he knows he's a duck. Even though they quack and he meows, even though they love swimming and he hates to get wet, he just knows he's a duck. Then one day he meets another funny looking duck who meows back at him. She introduces him to all the cats at the farm where she lives and he fits right in! Wow, is it possible that he's not actually a duck after all? After spending some wonderful time at the farm, Quackers misses his duck friends. Where does he really belong?

This book has marvelous illustrations and will make the kids at story time laugh because of the silliness of a cat thinking it's a duck. It's also got a nice message of friendship and not letting differences keep you from being friends.

[Laura West · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Quackers by Liz Wong mainly for its great message. Quackers is a little ginger cat who spent his days living with his friends at the duckpond until he meets Mittens who showed him he feline roots. Quackers realized he really liked doing cat things but he also really liked doing duck things. The book has an important message; its okay to just be yourself, regardless of what people say, think or is expected. The illustrations are very basic and block colored but don't look boring or unprofessional. I feel like a child could really connect to the story as a whole due to its perfect simplicity.

[Brandy Watkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought I would like this book because I could tell that either the cat or the duck would believe they were one or another. I had something similar happen while growing up between ducks and chickens. There are some flaws in this book that keep me from loving it. One is that it switches tenses suddenly. Another is the story's solution. Quackers thinks he's a duck, but then he meets another cat who helps him learn that he really is a cat. But in the end, the book says he IS a duck AND a cat, because he does duck and at things. Maybe it is simply meant to be a metaphor, but a cat can't be a duck, no matter how much he loves his duck friends.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

"But, most of all, he's just Quackers, and that makes him completely happy."

A cat named Quackers who has grown up with ducks believes that he is a duck, although communication with the others was sometime a problem and he's not thrilled with the dinner options. Then, one day, he meets a "strange duck" (Mittens) that looks just like him. And they communicate flawlessly. Mittens takes Quackers to his home and Quackers seems to fit in so much better. They are all just like him. But after awhile, he begins to miss the duck ponds and the many friends he had there. So, now he enjoys time in both of those groups.

So many lessons to learn in such a simple text.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cat who thinks he’s a duck? He must be Quackers!!

Quackers is a duck. Sure, he may have paws and whiskers. And his quacks might sound more like…well, meows, but he lives among ducks, everyone he knows is a duck, and he’s happy.

Then Quackers meets another duck who looks like him (& talks like him, too!)—but he calls himself a cat. So silly!

Quackers loves being among his new friends the cats, but he also misses his duck friends, and so he finds a way to combine the best of both worlds. Part cat, part duck, all Quackers!

[Ro Menendez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A playful and funny story about how belonging is more than just a set of physical attributes but also about feelings, companionship, acceptance, and community. Quackers fits perfectly, well almost perfectly, in his duck community, and he believes, despite some physical differences, that he is a duck. When he meets a cat, there are other communities and groups to consider, but Quackers quickly realizes he does not have to fit into one group, that he belongs in many communities. (FYI: I read this in Spanish but did not find it on Goodreads to review!)

[❂ Ann ❂ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like all ducks, Quackers lived on a pond with all the other ducks, never fitting in 100 percent. One day, he comes upon an odd duck named Mittens in his path. Mittens shows him a place where animals like him drank milk, chased mice and cuddled together in the barn. Before long, however, Quackers began to miss the duck pond. He was torn between two worlds but then realized that he didn't have to choose. He could be assimilated in one and still part of another. Liz Wong expertly juggles identity politics through anthropomorphic animals and cute drawings.

[The Brothers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Quackers is a little confused about his life as a duck. Things that should be easy for ducks to do just don't come easy for him. But one day he comes across another "duck" like him in the reeds and follows it home. All the things this little "duck" likes to do and eat, Quackers discovers he likes as well. It's then that he learns he's a cat, not a duck. But he doesn't let this fact dissuade him from enjoying both the duck- and the cat-life.

Illustrations are cute.

[Heather McC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Innocent Quackers is a kitty who believes himself to be a duck, though he has trouble communicating and fitting in with his fine feathered family. When Quackers meets a kitten who understands him - they both meow - his eyes are opened to a whole new community that looks just like him. But when Quackers misses his original family, he makes a decision that will warm everyone's heart in this book that shows readers that there are all kinds of families.