The Little Wood Duck Book

The little wood duck keeps swimming around and around in circles even though all of the other animals tease him. "I do try," he says to himself. "But I just can't swim any other way." But when a hungry fox comes looking for a meal, the little wood duck saves the day. The fox feels dizzy after watching the duckling swim round and round for so long. "Oh dear!" gasps the fox, and falls flat on his back, allowing all of the ducklings to run safely home.

Children's Literature

In Brian Wildsmith's brilliantly illustrated story, Mother Wood Duck lays six beautiful eggs and eagerly waits for them to hatch. She thinks all of the ducklings are perfect, until she takes them to the lake and discovers one baby is different. Five ducklings can swim in a straight line. But no matter how hard the youngest duckling tries, he can swim only in circles. His siblings taunt, his mother scolds, and the woodland animals tease. Even though the wise owl discovers an enlarged foot is causing the problem—the duckling cannot help it, he has a physical challenge—there is no remedy for the sad duckling. Only when his disability foils the hungry fox by making him dizzy do the other animals appreciate the youngest duckling's uniqueness. The book is promoted as one that will teach children about tolerance and individuality. However, the adult animals' insensitive behavior does little to model appropriate reactions to intolerance and disability. The owl calls the teasers stupid, while Mother Wood Duck is proud of her youngest duckling only when he saves the lives of her other offspring. The reissue of this 1972 publication is a testament to Wildsmith's skill and popularity as an artist who portrays nature with a vibrant palette; unfortunately, the text is not as timeless in its handling of a sensitive topic.