The Duck with No Luck
by Gemma Merino; illus. by the author
Preschool    MCB/Pan Macmillan    32 pp.
8/24    9781529093698    $14.99

With the cadence of a folktale, the story starts, “There was once a duck…who thought he had no luck.” The next few pages of softly colored illustrations demonstrate why he might feel this way: a rain shower soaks his picnic, a wheel comes off his scooter, a tree falls on his house. So Duck sets off on a journey to seek the counsel of Wise Owl. Along the way, he encounters three creatures with their own questions: why is Fox’s tummy “noisy,” why does Tree have no leaves, and why does Swan feel sad? Each hopes Duck will find Wise Owl and return with answers to their questions. Washes of color full of swirls and speckles provide visually appealing backgrounds for the expressive characters and dramatic scenes. The lively art plays off the text’s more measured narration, which makes the story work well as a read-aloud. Wise Owl eventually appears; she recommends a good night’s sleep and a fresh perspective for Duck and provides some answers for the others. Duck searches so intently for his promised luck that it seems he has missed the point, but readers would be wrong to underestimate him. He figures out how to take charge of his circumstances just in time, and “luckily,” it all works out for the best.

From the ">September/October 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.