GOODNIGHT, MY DUCKLING

Old fans and new listeners will be happy to welcome Tafuri’s Mama Duck and her eight adorable babies in a brand-new appearance. Not much has changed in the pastoral world in which they live. Tafuri’s illustrations are still crisp and clean, and the minimal text is perfectly suited to the low-key action. As Mama and family swim homeward to go to sleep, one duckling lags behind. A beaver, a frog, and various other animals offer good wishes (“Sleep tight, little duckling”) and advice (“Hurry home, little duckling”), while a turtle keeps an eye on the duckling’s progress. When Mama Duck disappears from the duckling’s view (but not from sharp-eyed readers), the turtle wades in to lend a hand, ensuring a happy ending. As the story unfolds, the background fades from evening to night, with first blue skies, then a softly colored sunset, then a large, luminous moon. Quiet, lovely, and soothing, this is a worthy companion to Tafuri’s Have You Seen My Duckling? (1984) (Picture book. 2-4)