*Make Way by Angel Burke Kunkel

Make Way tells the story of a very famous family of ducks, the man who made them famous and the woman who made them a landmark.

*Make Way: The Story of Robert McCloskey, Nancy Schön, and some very Famous Ducklings by Angel Burke Kunkel, illustrated by Claire Keane. Random House Studio, 2023, 42 pages.

Reading Level: Picture Book, ages 4-8

Recommended for: ages 3-10

The beginning of an idea

“In the beginning, a duck is an egg. A drawing is a blank page. A sculpture is a lump of clay.” A boy named Bob, growing up in Hamilton, Ohio, knows he wants to be an artist but can’t at first find his subject. A girl named Nancy, growing up a decade later outside of Boston, has learned to look and think in three dimensions as a sculptor, but no one is interested in her work. Things begin to come together for Bob when he recalls feeding the ducks in Boston’s Public Garden while he was an art student there. Things click for Nancy when, years later, she overhears a small boy in that same park asking, “Where are the ducks?”

Art begets art

Make Way for Ducklings, published in 1942, was so real to children everywhere that they expected to see them at home in the pond. For Nancy, it was the seed of an idea that would eventually result in the beloved duck family statues of Boston Public Garden.

Make Way for Ducklings fans will eat up this story of how Bob was inspired to write it. If they don’t know about Nancy’s statues, they’ll be inspired to go see them. Colorfully illustrated on rosy-toned paper in exuberant style, it’s a tribute to how one artist inspires another and creativity feeds off itself. Installed in 1987, the ducks have become part of Boston life. The author note tells how they’re been dressed up for holidays (including Pride week–take note) and even kidnapped! But always returned.

Overall Rating: 4.5

• Worldview/moral value: 4
• Artistic/literary value: 5

Read more about our ratings here.

Also at Redeemed Reader:

• Reflection: Robert McCloskey never gets old. See Betsy’s thoughts on his 100^th anniversary.
• Reviews: More Robert McCloskey: Centerburg Tales, Homer Price, and Lentil.
• Review: Sparky and Spike reveals the origin of another cultural icon: a dog named Snoopy.

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