The Duck and the Kangaroo

by Edward Lear, Jane Wattenberg (Illustrator)

Meet Duck. Duck has a yen for travel and adventure. Duck also has some very wet, cold feet and a gift for loyalty and compromise. Meet Kangaroo. Kangaroo has been around the world and back, and is looking for a little bit of luck. Or a duck. When Duck and Kangaroo meet, it’s a match made in . . . heaven. Ah, love—ain’t it grand? And who so happy,—O who, As the Duck and the Kangaroo?

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Poetry, Childrens

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 29, 2009

About the author

Edward Lear was an English artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet, who is known mostly for his literary nonsense in poetry and prose and especially his limericks, a form he popularised.
His principal areas of work as an artist were threefold: as a draughtsman employed to make illustrations of birds and animals; making coloured drawings during his journeys, which he reworked later, sometimes as plates for his travel books; and as a (minor) illustrator of Alfred Tennyson's poems.
As an author, he is known principally for his popular nonsense collections of poems, songs, short stories, botanical drawings, recipes and alphabets. He also composed and published twelve musical settings of Tennyson's poetry.

Reviews

[Mary Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane Wattenberg has created a feast for the eyes in her new picture book of Edward Lear's nonsense song The Duck and The Kangaroo. Wattenberg uses eye-popping photo-collage techniques to create a vibrant book, where the images truly match Lear's creative folly.

A duck looks out his window and longs for friendship and adventure. So he says to the passing Kangaroo, "My life is a bore in this nasty pond, / And I long to go out in the world beyond! / I wish I could hop like you! / said the Duck to the Kangaroo." A silly and sweet friendship develops, as the duck persuades the Kangaroo to give him a ride into the wide world beyond.

While Lear's verse is fun and silly, the illustrations are what make this book snap, crackle and pop. Wattenberg collages photographs of a real kangaroo and duck into a variety of almost surrealist settings. She adds layer of exotic flora and fauna drawn by 19th century Naturalists, including Lear himself, Charles Darwin, John James Audubon and many others. On top of this are wonderfully quirky touches, like hand-knitted socks shaped to the duck's webbed feet. My favorite aspect of the illustrations are the comically expressive eyes of the duck and the kangaroo. As I understand it, Wattenberg photo-collaged eyes of an owl and a dog to create these oversized, yet realistic eyes.

My children loved this unique approach to illustrating a picture book. My 5 year old kept asking me questions about who wrote the words and who made the pictures. This is the book that really made her think about the writing process and the artwork. "Mommy, can the person who wrote this change the words? Did they make the pictures, too?"

[Bridget R. Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Duck is tired of his life in the pond. He admires Kangaroo's ability to hop. Duck wants Kangaroo to give him a ride. After much discussion and the putting on of socks, the two hop around the world not once but thrice.

What I thought: I'd never read this poem by Lear. I am an admirer of nonsense poems. I only object to the line about the cigar. But my objection could be overruled by the fact it's a duck not a person. Wattenberg's illustrations, which I understand to be collages of bits and pieces of art that artists and scientists produced, are wonderful. Each page has so many textures. The colors are bright and vibrant.

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was really odd, and I honestly don't care for it. The story of a duck wanting to ride on a kangaroos back was just not interesting to me. The illustrations however were very unique. I think children would like looking at the pictures.

I wouldn't use this in the classroom unless I wanted to talk about how kangaroos hop and ducks fly and swim. I would possibly use this book strictly for the collage illustrations if I was teaching an art lesson.

[Leander · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had performed this as a kid in my school.

The word roomatiz would confuse me then, but now I realise, it must've been rheumatism. (Just a guess)

Wait a minute though, while I pull up my socks, don my cloak, and hop about on my Kangaroo's tail, with a cigar in between my lips.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The text (the poem itself) is fun and the illustrations are a bit bizarre. This would make a decent group read aloud at story time (if I remember to cut out the line about smoking a cigar). There are better duck books and better kangaroo books out there.

[Purvansh]

NNiiccee bbooookk

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I hadn't known the historical significance of this book before reading it, I would have hated it. Some children may like the illustrations, but I think they are slightly garish--like animation gone bad. I applaud the efforts of the illustrator to introduce children to literature and artwork of the past, but I am just not in love with this.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Genre: Poetry
Publication Date: 2009

This is a book that consists of one poem. It is about a duck wished he could hop like the Kangaroo, therefore he asks the kangaroo to let him ride on his back. Although the poem is quite cute, I do not like the pictures. In fact, I find them a little creepy.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun story about a duck and kangaroo who travel the world together. The best part though, is the illustrations. They are so close to being photographic, it is quite incredible, yet still retain a sense of playfulness and utter joy.

[Luana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is ideal for 2nd-4th grade to help students differentiate between a duck and a kangaroo. Would be used in the engage portion. Have students find the differences and similarities between the two animals.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lower rating because I did not care for the illustrations.

[Denise · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bizarre!

[Sam Bloom · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love the collage illustrations except for one jarring detail; Duck and Kangaroo have large, creepy-looking eyes. Kind of ruins it for me.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The duck convinces kangaroo to take them on a road trip--three times around the world. Beautiful illustrations done in the style of multiple famous artists. Absolutely gorgeous.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

The poem, of course, is great, but the illustrations are so visually appealing that they make the poem even better!

[Dana]

A little strange...

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of nonsense with some delightfully silly photo collage illustrations, I especially like the worsted socks knitted to fit the duck's feet.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have loved it except for the line with the cigar, but I think you could leave it out in a storytime. Bright, collage illustrations makes it pop.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Odd pictures, kind of, but they fit the story. I'd never heard this poem by Lear before. It was a fun find at the library.

[Ren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Illustrations are adorable!

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typical Lear although not something I had heard before

[Hajer · Rating 2 out of 5]

The reference to smoking a cigar is what I didn't like. Had to change that sentence when's read it to my 3 year old!

[Nicki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mediocre rhyming. And do we really need to mention cigar smoking in a children's book?

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bizarre and surreal with crazy, eye-catching illustrations.