Sitting Ducks

by Michael Bedard

Day after day, brand new ducks roll off a giant assembly line operated by alligators at the Colossal Duck Factory. They are loaded into trucks and taken to Ducktown, where they are fattened up in preparation for their final destination—into the stomachs of alligators. Everything proceeds smoothly, until the day one of the alligators decides to take a wayward duck home. Over time, the alligator grows fond of his future dinner. Can a duck and an alligator really be friends in an alligator-eat-duck world? Find out in this charming and humorous friendship story.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction

40 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Michael Bedard was born and raised in Toronto. His novels include Stained Glass, A Darker Magic, Painted Devil, and Redwork, which received the Governor General’s Literary Award and the Canadian Library Association’s Book of the Year Award for Children. He has also written several acclaimed picture books, including The Clay Ladies, which received the Toronto IODE Book Award. His biography, William Blake: The Gates of Paradise and his picture book Emily attest to his interest in poets and poetry.

Reviews

[Aye Gomorrah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this to my girlfriend and cried

[Laura Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a childhood favourite that I’ve used to read to my class on placement that every child enjoyed!

[Alice Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favourite books as a child about a friendship between a duck who falls off a conveyor belt and an alligator who saves him from his fate of being eaten!

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little white duck is hatched in a duck factory when his egg falls to the floor and cracks open. One of the factory worker alligators smuggles him home in his lunch pail, hoping to have duck soup for dinner sometime soon. Overtime, the alligator forgets his idea about eating the duck. They become friends. But the duck soon wonders where all of the other ducks are. Reluctantly, the alligator reveals that the ducks,after hatching, end up in Ducktown. A place where the ducks are fed relentlessly until they are so fat they cannot fly. Fly? says the little duck. He asks the alligator to drop him off in Ducktown; he has a plan.

When he gets there, the little duck attempts to tell the other ducks about what the alligators really have in store for them. The other ducks don't buy it until the little duck shows them a menu from an alligator restaurant. Then they put the little ducks' plan into action. They begin to exercise and teach themselves how to fly. Eventually all ducks are able to fly south. The little duck can't leave alligator though. So he buys two tickets and takes his friend with him.

[Lisa the Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a part of the Mock Caldecott I did with my elementary school library classes. It was a favorite earning a Medal (winner) or Honor (almost winner) in all but one or two classes.

The pictures appear to be that 3D-ish effect from computer generated graphics. This is a fun story about alligators running a duck factory. When one duck is dropped out of the system an alligator takes him home and an unlikely relationship forms.

I like the pictures a bit better than the story, but both were cute

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I prefer the pictures in this over the story. Not that the story wasn't fun and silly, but I do have a thing for ducks. I didn't expect the role of alligators in this. Nor did I have any clue how the story would go. But I enjoyed it. Not sure if I'd read it in a storytime, but definitely recommend it as a lap-read and read-alone.

[Nina AJG · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick reread of this classic before it goes to my nephew!

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unlikely friendship blossoms between an alligator and a duck. In a world full of ravenous reptiles, can the duck avoid becoming lunch? Cute story, and Bedard's artwork is top-notch.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very cute and sweet book about an unlikely friendship, with a deeper compassionate message.

All day long, the Duck Factory spits out ducks on a conveyor belt. However, one day a bird falls off the belt and is rescued by one of the factory workers--an alligator. The duck has no knowledge that the alligator initially plans to turn him into soup, but as they become friends, the gator realizes that he could never eat his friend. Finally, he breaks the news: In this world of ducks and alligators, the ducks end up being served in fancy alligator restaurants. However--things can change. If the ducks realize their plight, they can shape up and fly away from the fate the gators have created for them. Now, it's up to the unlikely pair to convince the ducks to migrate to safer grounds.

SITTING DUCKS is a funny, appealingly-illustrated adventure with a happy ending. Not only does it entertain, but it gently introduces the ideas that nobody wants to be eaten and making kinder choices is possible, through these humorous characters.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you have qualms about living in a world with factory farming? Well, this is a kind of easier way into thinking about it... which ends in a place of awkward complexity... the duck's friend, who saved him, still eats chicken.

I was not prepared for how harrowing this book would be. If you love ducks, while this does have a happy(ish) ending, you might not want to put a duck lover through this grim reality. Or perhaps it's better to face it...

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Friendship can be found in the most unlikely places. Illustrations were better than the story, but for a kid who loves twist endings or ducks, this one could be a lot of fun. It would make a good read aloud for elementary age kids, but way too long for the younger crowds.

[Andy Verschoyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

great drawings with some allusions to classical and modern art

simply friendship story but there's a deeper level hardness - alligators breeding ducks to eat them is no distance at all from our own food chain

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing, Amazing, Amazing. It's heartwarming, it's modern. Love the architectural details.

[Beverly Mann · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very strange book.

[Sophie Abell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good book. the pictures are so clear and well animated. The meaning behind it is so cute and great for children.

[beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as good as I remember

[A YOGAM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vor über 20 Jahren habe ich dieses Buch mit meinen Kindern gelesen. Es eignet sich hervorragend, um einen verbreiteten Denkfehler zu thematisieren: Oft bewerten wir Handlungen anhand der erzielten Resultate, statt die ursprünglichen Intentionen und die Motivation dahinter zu berücksichtigen, obwohl die Absicht entscheidend dafür ist, wie wir Verantwortung und Fairness beurteilen.

[Lindsay Larsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book caught my eye because of the colors on the front of the cover. The white ducks stood out to me against the green border. Like the cover, some pages are framed but a few pages are full bleed. I noticed that when the pages are full bleed, it is when the duck and alligator are getting to know each other. Almost as though the border represents the hesitancy of first getting to know someone. Once the duck and alligator are more familiar with each other, we are invited through the "window" or border, and into the story. The text can be found on the side of the page, underneath the illustration, and sometimes within it. The illustrations are on double page spreads at times, and then sometimes they are single page images. On one page, there are two images with a small white border in between, laid horizontally onto a two page spread. This specific page is where the ducks are flying away and the alligators are seeing them leave. I think that the way the illustrations are arranged, it helps us know that the ducks are flying overhead and the alligators are seeing them above.
This book was enjoyable for me to see. I liked the contrasting colors of the white duck and the green alligator. The storyline was simple and well done, just like the illustrations.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Duck's egg falls off a conveyor belt at the duck factory and out come a baby duck. An alligator who works at the factory finds the duck and takes him home with the intention of fattening him up to eat him (the fate of all the ducks from the factory-they just don't know it). Alligator, however, learns to love his little duck and decides not to eat him. Then he tells Duck the fate of his Duck brothers and sisters. Duck finds a way to save his fellow ducks and keep his friendship with Alligator.

Cute story about an unlikely friendship with cute illustrations.

K-1st.

[Elisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose this book because I wanted a picture book that was more challenging to read, something I could use for 3rd graders. This book was about a duck who fell of the assembly line and was taken home by one of the alligator workers. They looked out for each other and built a friendship. When the duck was told there was a duck town he went there to warn them that the alligators planned to eat them. The ducks flew south and the friendly alligator went with his duck friend. The ducks trusted this alligator, and they all could relax in the sun together without any worries.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sorta touching story about a crocodile who accidentally befriends a duck.

He didn't mean to befriend the duck, understand. He just wanted to fatten him up. But things happen. You know how it is.

When the duck finds out the truth, he sets off to free all the other ducks from being eaten, and they all escape and live happily ever after. Great illustrations, funny story.

No ducks were eaten in the making of this book.

[Wendy Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The alligators have it all figured out. They have built a duck factory and an entire town where the ducks are fat and flightless. Of course it all comes undone when a duck and an alligator become friends. This opposites attracts story is perfect for 2-5 year olds and teaches narrative skills and print motivation.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent kids book on how relationships can developed even in the most unlikely circumstance and how following the crowd can lead to ones unhealthy demise. Many political overtones here...if I wAs teaching the 8th-12th grades still I'd have a whole weeks unit of cross cuticular literature discussion in just this one book alone. Wonder if there is an accelerated reader Reston this?

[Benjamin Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw the show that is based/goes with this story years ago and liked it a lot. The premises of the two stories are not the same but there are a lot of similarities in the set up. The book reminded me of the show and made me laugh.
On its own, the story is fun and the animation style works well for the story, but I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it quite as much if it stood alone.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

32 months - Ducks hatched in a factory and fattened up for the sole purpose of being food for a population of alligators... Hummmm who does this sound like? Cute images, my favorite is the Hopper Nighthawks painting take off. Not a go to book for a great read but we'll keep it around.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

A duck factory run by alligators, a conspiracy to fatten the oblivious ducks, and an unlikely friendship between a duck and an alligator. This is the best picture book of all time.

[Admira · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute! Wanna see a duck and alligator coupled up in bed? Comes with a huge poster to remind you of it...

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Hopper-esque moody illustrations in this one. And, of course, it has a message of love and tolerance that is appropriate these days.

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for reading aloud and story-times

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another "unlikely friendship" book about an alligator and his would-be-supper duck who eventually become best friends. The illustrations are what sell this story.