Band Together

July 27, 2020
“Solo act” Duck—a mallard in a maroon hat and scarf—lives a solitary life by the beach, contentedly crooning beneath the moon and avoiding social interactions, which he finds “overwhelming.” When a musical group arrives in a mint-colored van, requesting Duck’s help with a flat tire, the socially anxious bird ends up enjoying the camaraderie and departs feeling optimistic. As daylight fades into the muted, earthy palette, however, Duck’s euphoria transforms into doubt. The worries persist, causing Duck to decline an invite to participate in the band’s upcoming show, until—in a wordless spread that depicts an abrupt switch from concern to determination—he bounds onstage to join his new friends. The tale’s ending undercuts the joys of Duck’s solitary existence and leaves readers guessing about the strategies he uses to overcome his fears, but there’s much to appreciate about the cozy, domestically focused art and the way Douglass destigmatizes social anxiety. Ages 4–8.

July 15, 2020
A loner duck comes into his own. Duck, a waddling mallard with a hipster hat-and-scarf combo, lives by himself in a tiny shack by the sea. He likes to comb the beach, drink tea, and play the ukulele. He is a self-proclaimed "solo act." In fact, so much so, that he finds "making friends a little bit overwhelming." But when a band's van breaks down at the beach and they ask Duck to "lend a wing," he can't say no. Soon he finds himself in the company of friends. They invite him to their concert the next day. Duck wants to go but later finds himself wondering, "Why would Fox, Bear, and Seagull want to be friends with a duck like him?" That negative self-talk is enough to make him stay home after a longing look at the trio jamming around a campfire. But when Seagull falls ill and Bear asks Duck to stand in at the concert, Duck must make a decision. Full of doubt, Duck hesitates but then has a triumphant moment of determination (you can see it in his eyebrows) and takes a chance. Douglass' muted illustrations are delicate, matching Duck's sensibilities, but they also have spots of humor. A "Bearwie" (Bowie, but a bear, a conceit that deliriously informs the brilliant band puns on the endpapers) poster hangs in Duck's home, and the unbridled enthusiasm of a cast of crabs who desperately want to befriend Duck is giggleworthy. Both vulnerability and self-confidence shine. (Picture book. 3-7)

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