It's Useful to Have a Duck

by Isol, Elisa Amado (Translator)

A little boy finds a rubber duck and uses him as a hat, a straw, a nose. But how does the duck use the little boy? By turning the book over, readers find the same story told from the duck’s point of view. Witty line drawings and text by the gifted Argentine author/illustrator Isol remind even the youngest child that there are always two points of view, and more than one way to be. This charming, innovative book in the form of an accordion is beautifully packaged in a slipcase.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Humor, Spanish Literature

32 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2008

About the author

Marisol Misenta, known professionally under the mononym Isol, is one of the most famous authors and illustrators of children's books in the world. She has won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, has twice been selected as a finalist for the Hans Christian Andersenn Award and has won a Golden Apple at the Biennial of Illustration, Bratislava. her many publications include It's Useful to Have a Duck, Beautiful Griselda, Nocturne and Petit, the Monster. Isol is also an advertising illustrator, a professional singer and a comic-book writer. She lives with her family in Buenos Aires.

Reviews

[Chance Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable and interesting. Smart, minimalist drawings complement the straight-forward text. Fun to read multiple times.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings on this one. When I read the first part, "It's Useful to Have a Duck" I thought, "What an odd, slightly unpleasant little story"--I mean, I assume this is not supposed to be a REAL duck (seems pretty obvious by the bathtub scene at the end) but at first one doesn't really know and the little boy riding it, putting its beak in his ear, etc is a bit disturbing. Then, when I read the second half, "It's Useful to Have a Boy" I thought, hum, kind of clever--how the duck feels he is "getting a backrub" from the boy, or cleaning the boy's ears--the mirror image of what was happening in the other story, but from the duck's POV this time. It seems to be a mutually beneficial relationship. Even so, this book just seemed to, well, odd to really appeal to me. Love the idea behind the book but the execution left me a bit sour.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great dual narrative for young readers; excellent for opening up the idea of multiple interpretations and the concept of perspective, in a humorous and child friendly way. I like that each story stands alone, but combined add up to something much more interesting. Definitely an author to follow.

[Nohemí González · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like the concept and the story really cute.

[Alaide Mo · Rating 5 out of 5]

te quiero mucho, patito de hule

[Catapimba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ótimo livro brinquedo para crianças pequenas. Mostra como os mesmos acontecimentos podem ser vistos de forma diferente dependendo de sua posição em relação a eles.

Minha filha gostava muito quando pequenininha. Hoje aos sete ainda gosta e brinca com ele. E explica que os dois pontos de vista estão certos.

[Cristhian · Rating 5 out of 5]

6/5 porque tener un patito es demasiado útil.


update:

11 de 5

[Nea Poulain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este libro es una joya.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super unique book which we have read from cover to cover and back again.... Literally!

[Leonardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Por razones obvias estoy leyendo más literatura infantil. Por razones obvias, se lee más rápido. Esto altera un poco el sentido de mi "challenge", pero poco me importa. Me gustó el mensaje que el libro pretender dar.

[Samantta S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woooow. Me encantó la historia, los trazos de los dibujos, la sorpresa de la parte trasera y la hermosa sencillez de la vida. GRACIAS ISOL POR TUS OBRAS. Me dieron tantas ganas de llorar al final.

Gran libro. De verdad. Lo recomiendo.

[Raquel Franco · Rating 5 out of 5]

De esos libros para niños que son buenos para grandes. Lean libros ilustrados; son el no va más de la contemporaneidad

[Angel Torres · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely double sided book! 💛💙
It's useful to have a duck 💛
&
It's useful to have a kid 💙

Lovely concept and illustrations.

[Fernanda Villava · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sublime.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and clever.

[Elayne Crain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I talk (okay, okay--drone on) about picture book craft, but in this case, the craft I would like to chat about extends to the actual binding and design of the book itself. For, you see, this is one of the rare, coveted (at least by me) accordion-bound (aka orihon or concertina--yeah, baby!--we are really wallowing in the nerdery now!) picture books, where you get two-two-two books in one. Sure, a super-smart editor told me previously that the set-up cost for these sorts of bindings becomes prohibitive for reprints, so these seldom happen--which I "get." Still, here in Elayne La-La-Land, let's pretend production costs are imaginary and that ideas are free.

Anyhow, have you ever looked at a pair of BFFs or partners and wondered, "WHAT do they see in one another?" What I love about this brilliant twice-told tale is that we have two sides to a boy/rubber duck friendship story. (I know, I know, I hear Sesame Street music queuing up in my head, too--don't fight it, just go with it.) The illustrations on both sides are exactly the same (that is, we "see," as the third-party viewer, the same scenes), but the context changes depending on the viewpoint. And isn't that just one of the truest parts of life?

This is a wonderful example of how simple is the opposite of easy in the picture book world--how each of our stories is like a jigsaw box full of memories, words, and images, with only our own ideals on the front of the box to guide us in putting them together. The beauty is not just in knowing what we want to share, but in finding exactly the right way to do so.

This book nails its theme with delight and wit, and I think you will enjoy it.

[Sandy L Jaguar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro hermoso, divertido, indspensable para quienes gustamos de la literatura escrita para infancias. La edición es hermosa y como siempre, Isol se encarga de construir un relato breve pero divertido que nos deja pensando.
En este caso la historia tiene una estructura paralela, pues es contada tanto desde la perspectiva del niño que tiene un pato como del pato que tiene un niño.
Adorable.

[Cassie Veselovsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally picked up this book because I have an 18month old who loves rubber ducks... I didn't realize it was an accordion style book in a slipcase! I can see it being torn apart by our destructor toddler, though I think it is absolutely adorable. Simple line drawings and explanatory text depict a boy with his rubber duck, and on the flip side, a rubber duck with his boy. Funny & Lovely!!!

[Cassie Veselovsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally picked up this book because I have an 18month old who loves rubber ducks... I didn't realize it was an accordion style book in a slipcase! I can see it being torn apart by our destructor toddler, though I think it is absolutely adorable. Simple line drawings and explanatory text depict a boy with his rubber duck, and on the flip side, a rubber duck with his boy. Funny & Lovely!!!

[Abril G. Karera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un invaluable libro que puede leerse a los lectores más pequeños, bebés, y disfrutar de este juego de palabras y cotidianidad.

[Angélica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es de mis libros favoritos de Isol. Quizá no sea la graaaan historia pero me encanta la cuestión de perspectivas, además se puede trabajar eso con los niños más pequeños.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Para grandes y pequeños, es una historia encantadora e innovadora como se va desarrollando la historia

[Ricardo Flores Sarmiento · Rating 4 out of 5]

No todo sucede como creemos, Isol nos lo muestra en las páginas de Tener un Patito es útil. Un historia que muestra dos miradas de una sola realidad.

[Sandra Vega · Rating 5 out of 5]

me gusta mucho esta historia. Resulta muy tierna

[Alejandra Inclán · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro para jugar, para leerle a los niños y enseñarles que siempre hay más de una perspectiva.

[Andrés · Rating 5 out of 5]

me gusto mucho

[Juan Carlos malik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un hermoso libro álbum donde los más pequeños de la casa pueden jugar con su imaginación y un pato.

[Jimena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pero que belleza de libro 💖🦆

[M Plague Doctor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Corto, divertido, interesante y hermoso.
Muy bien logrado su objetivo.

[Erika Her-O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muy lindo el cuento