Author: Michael Dahl
Publisher: Capstone Publishing
Rating: WORTHY!
Illustrated by Oriol Vidal.
This is a charmingly illustrated children's book designed to talk feisty and obstinate youngsters into giving up the pacifier. I can speak from personal experience of this since the oldest of my two sons was distinctly loathe to liberate himself! Maybe I was too at his age. Hilariously, he's also now (as a teenager), completely given to bizarre, out-of-context and off-the-wall sayings, a favorite of which is "I like Ducks". I haven't been able to persuade him to read this particular book, I'm sorry to say!
The villainous creature who seeks to duck his responsibilities here is a wild and crazy little guy, but he isn't as yellow as he's painted, and he is determined. His mother, however, is even more determined than is he. Who will quack first? I suspect most parents won't have quite the easy time his mom does in their efforts to break the addiction, but you cannot fault her for her effort and dedication.
Her method is to gently, but firmly, and consistently, wean him at every opportunity. Every time he's sucking on the pacifier, no matter what he's doing, mom is there to dissuade him, moving him steadily away from it by inches and finally, she succeeds like a beakless sparrow.
The drawings are simplistic but they don't suck! They're entirely appropriate for the age this is aimed at, and they're colorful and attractive. I don't doubt that children who feel oppressed will identify with the little duck and hopefully, in doing so, will show that they are growing up, just as the duck is, and no longer need the pacifier. I liked this story and recommend it.
