Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

I read Meg McKinlay’s Duck for a Day out loud to my kindergartener over a period of several days, and it was an interesting experience. It’s hard to tell how much she likes it when I read aloud chapter books–she’s got sort of a poker face when it comes to longer reads–but she wanted me to keep going! I rather enjoyed it, actually (there’s a subtle humor that parents will likely appreciate even more than little ones), and I think kids will too; Abby’s longing to bring the class pet home for a day, since her parents won’t allow her to get a pet of her own, is something children will readily understand. Leila Rudge’s charming (and funny!) illustrations add much to an already layered story, making this a great read for (or with) an early middle grader.