The Little Wood Duck

Mother Wood Duck is very proud of her six beautiful new ducklings, and she can’t wait until they’re old enough to learn to swim. When that day arrives, her children prove to be excellent swimmers–all except one, who does nothing but swim round and round in a circle. No amount of complaining, scolding, or mocking by all the other animals can stop his unhappy swimming in a circle. Thankfully, the wise owl realizes that one of the duckling’s feet is larger than the other, causing his circular swimming. Then, one day, the little duckling’s special kind of swimming saves everyone from a hungry fox and he becomes a hero. Brian Wildsmith’s beautiful illustrations and touching story will teach children an important lesson about tolerance and individuality.