December 1, 2014
With a three-day cruise on the line as a prize, Monkey drafts his friend Duck to participate in a rhyming contest. Two more challenges quickly emerge: phlegmatic Duck is the exact opposite of hyperactive Monkey, and all Duck wants to say is “Quack.” It’s a recipe for last place, unless Monkey can turn Duck’s deficits into a winning ticket. Although little more than an extended sketch, the story has its rewards. Fotheringham’s (A Home for Mr. Emerson) bright, bold artwork has intriguing textures and reinforces the characters’ Odd Couple personalities. Hamburg (A Moose That Says Moo) gives the story serious read-aloud potential as she combines the repetition of “Quack” with Monkey’s struggle to stay calm (“Okay. Look, Duck./ Clearly you’re a wee bit stuck./ Stand up straight and lace your shoes./ We MUST be on that three-day cruise!”). The final joke (spoiler alert: Duck’s vocabulary is more extensive than he lets on) is tailor-made for a womp-womp-womp “sad trombone” sound effect. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Jennifer DeChiara, Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Pat Hackett.

November 15, 2014
Will Duck speak a rhyme by contest time?One day Monkey sees a sign hanging on a nearby vine: "Rhyming contest, enter now! / Register with Lou the cow. / Find a friend and rhyme in twos. / (Winners win a three-day cruise!)" Monkey is sure that he and Duck can easily win since they're young and hip. He throws out an open-ended string of random words and phrases: "Beat! Sheet! Meet! Greet! / Eat some wheat, / then wash your feet! / Have a seat! / Trick or treat! / Hear a finch go tweet, tweet-" to which Duck responds, "Quack." No matter what he does, Monkey can't get anything other than that classic duck sound out of his friend. Then he has a brainstorm that wins them the cruise and that preschoolers will love participating in. After settling in at sea, Monkey gloats, "The two of us, we have a knack. / Don't you agree?" And Duck's response? "Let's get some ice cream." This sophomore effort from TV writer Hamburg (A Moose That Says Moo, illustrated by Sue Truesdell, 2013) might not startle with originality, but it offers the opportunity for children to play with rhyme and expectations. Fotheringham's digital illustrations show the main characters as scratchy-lined, bold cartoon animals, their silly antics highlighted on monochrome backgrounds of various colors. It may be a bit odd, but it is a solid choice for rhyming play. (Picture book. 3-7)

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December 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 2-When Monkey spies a sign advertising a two-person rhyming contest, he is certain that he and his pal Duck can easily win the grand prize of a three-day cruise. "We can do this, we can rhyme!/We're young, we're hip, we're in our prime." Unfortunately, Monkey's desire to find rhyming words jointly is squelched by Duck's inability to respond with anything but "Quack!" Monkey offers up "Beat, Sheet, Meet, Greet...Wash your feet...Trick or treat." "Quack" is Duck's only response. When a frustrated Monkey is about to give up, then inspiration strikes. They enter the contest, and Monkey recites words that rhyme with quack: "Rack, Sack, Plaque, Track!" and so on. After winning the contest, they have a great time on their cruise. True to their personality differences, Duck relaxes and Monkey tries every activity offered. The pleasing, digitally rendered illustrations are presented in bold yellow and orange, on backgrounds of green, blue, and purple. The text rhymes, of course, although at times it is a bit forced and singsong. The surprise ending lifts this tale a bit, but the book will serve best as an additional purchase.-Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2015
Preschool-G Here are two friends who could not be more different. Motormouth Monkey raps incessantly, bouncing about to the beat of his rhymes, while laid-back Duck utters only one word Quack. Monkey decides they should enter a rhyming contest where the prize is a three-day cruise. Predictably, things don't go well, mostly because Monkey fails to notice that his lines must end with the ack sound if he wants Duck to participate. Finally Monkey realizes his mistake and develops a winning rhyme for the two. Much of the story's humor is conveyed through Fotheringham's clever illustrations. Monkey's constant movement is recorded in a series of dots across the page, while his growing frustration with Duck is signaled through facial expressions. By contrast, placid Duck remains smiling and unperturbed throughout. The cruise spreads reinforce these entrenched personalitiesuntil a final surprise frame of Duck. Younger listeners will enjoy completing Monkey's unfinished verses within the story, and slightly older children will be spurred to create their own lists of rhyming words.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2015
Monkey desperately tries to get Duck to make some rhymes with him, but every attempt is met with a "quack." Frustrated, Monkey realizes their only chance to win the rhyming contest is to choose conducive words (track, blackjack, yak, etc.). Occasionally uneven in meter, the text closes with a chuckle-producing twist. Appealing digital illustrations exude Monkey's enthusiasm and Duck's coolness.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)