Off to School, Baby Duck! is by Amy Hest. It is a start the school year book in the Baby Duck Series. Jill Barton illustrates the picture book. It is Baby Duck’s first day of school. She is feeling apprehensive. Will she have friends? Will her teacher be mean? What will she do in the big building?

Children understand Baby Duck’s fear of attending school for the first time. Many children experience the same fear. Baby Duck drags her feet. Her parents hurry her to school. The words of encouragement from Grandpa Duck changes her mind. She meets her teacher; she is not mean. Baby Duck meets a friendly classmate, Davy Duck. The little duck is ready for school.

Baby Duck’s parents are preoccupied with their daily schedule. They seem oblivious to Baby Duck’s fears. Grandpa Duck is the grownup who takes time to soothe her fears. Off to School, Baby Duck! is a great book for grandparents raising their grandchildren. It fact all the books in the series are good for grandparents/grandchildren families. This because it is Grandpa Duck who does the nurturing.

Jill Barton’s illustrations are crafted with pencils and watercolors. They are bold and will capture the attention of children three to five-years-old. Baby Duck like human children has feet and hands. She wears clothing; she wears glasses, too. A backpack is on her back.

The picture book has twenty-four pages. The print is large and bold. Grandparent and child can easily read the words together. It is a Booklist Editor’s Choice. Also, it is a winner of the School Library Journal Best Book of the Year. Off to School, Baby Duck! is an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award Winner.



Silly School is a first day of school book, too. The entire family encourages Little Beth to go to school. Young children learn about different types of school activities.



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