Castellucci, Cecil. Odd Duck. Sara Varon, Illus. Fiction. First Second, 2013. 96p. $15.99. 978-1-59643-557-5. OUTSTANDING. GRADES 1-4.
Theodora has such a perfect routine for her daily life that she won’t even disrupt it to fly south for the winter. She is flabbergasted when her new next-door neighbor turns out to be Chad, a flamboyant duck who delights in making sculptures out of junk in his front yard. Ever proper, Theodora introduces herself, only to find that Chad is an incessant talker with bad manners. But who is left when all the other ducks fly south? “CHAD!!!” One night while star-gazing, Theodora runs into Chad, who, it turns out, shares her love of constellations. As the winter wears on, the two find that they have lots in common and become inseparable. Their bond is temporarily shattered when the other ducks return, making snide remarks. Odd Duck is a good-natured transitional chapter book, with funny, expressive illustrations and a sweet story about true friendship and acceptance.
Katrina Bergen, Dixon PL
Price correction for The Night Before Baseball at the Park by the Bay: ACL’s November 2013 issue of BayViews listed an incorrect price for the book The Night Before Baseball at the Park by the Bay. Libraries interested in this picture book about the San Francisco Giants can contact the online site to handle purchases including the library and teachers discount at http://www.NightBeforeBaseball.com/buy , which lists the price at $14.95 (with a 25% discount for schools and libraries).