Tale of the Mandarin Duck by Bette Midler, Joana Avillez, Michiko Kakutani
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on February 16, 2021
ISBN: 0593176766
Pages: 40
Genres: Animals
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads

Bette Midler’s “The Tale of the Mandarin Duck: A Modern Fable” is a story about an unusual duck that found its way to NYC’s Central Park. The duck is so beautiful and different that people look up from their phones to see it and take photos. Photographs of NYC and the beautiful bird in the book are taken by Michiko Kakutani and are accompanied by black and white illustrations by Joana Avillez.

The two distinct styles of art in the book may seem a bit jarring at first, but eventually they complement each other in telling the story. The idea that we are missing out on things while burying our heads in our cellphones is not new, but the fact that this is based on a true story and the great artwork brings a uniqueness to the story.

For children age 4 to 10, this book is not a must-buy for your picture book collection, but would make a good additional purchase for large collections or for readers who love birds.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook.