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: 9780593176764
Pages: 40
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads

Not sure if this is considered fiction or nonfiction. It is based on a true story about a rare visit from a Mandarin Duck (native to East Asia) who visited Central Park in New York City in 2018. This popular visitor caused quite a stir and people flocked to gawk and take photographs. The “moral” is that the advent of smartphones put an end to personal interaction until the duck taught people to use their eyes again and interact with people. The illustrations are a mixture of Kakutani’s color photos of the duck and views of Manhattan with Avillez’s monochrome ink and wash of diverse humans. I adored the illustrations! The story, however, is more suited to adults than children. Best for 1-to-1 browsing, especially for people who have lived or visited New York City.

 

Reviewed by Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library