The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?

PreS-Gr 2—The polite yet cunning duckling from The Pigeon Wants a Hot Dog! (2004) upstages the demanding pigeon in this delightful film version of Mo Willems's book (2012, both Hyperion). Here the duckling demonstrates that manners are very important to get what you want, but does Duckling REALLY want a cookie with nuts? Hmm, giving something away you really don't want is easy and can make you look good! Willems voices the irascible Pigeon, who never seems to get what he wants—no bus driving, no hot dog, no staying up late—while daughter Trixie is the voice for Duckling, who uses her wits and politeness to receive the ultimate cookie: one with NO nuts! Minimal animation remains true to the simple and comic illustrations from the book, and is used humorously to emphasize words. The mention of "nuts" causes the nuts in the cookie to spin around, and when the Pigeon reveals he always gets NO for answer, the word "no" is spiraled, dragged out over and over to emphasize that he never ever gets what he wants. Additional features offer time with Willems, and the interior of the cover includes loads of educational ways to use the DVD, including Common Core Connections.—Nancy Baumann, Literacy Consultant, Columbia, MO