Make Way for Ducklings and More Robert McCloskey Stories (2004)

Make Way for Ducklings was the first library book I read as a child. This Scholastic DVD is a nice presentation of this storybook and four others by Robert McCloskey that were published from the 1940s to the 1960s. In "Make Way for Ducklings" (1941, Caldecott Medal winner), a mallard family takes up residence in Boston's Public Garden (4 stars). In "Blueberries for Sal" (1948, Caldecott Honors winner), Little Sal and Little Bear mix up their mothers while picking and eating blueberries (3.5 stars). "Time of Wonder" (1957, Caldecott Medal winner) describes the beauty of a summer (including a passing hurricane) on the Maine seacoast (4 stars). "Burt Dow: Deep Water Man" (1963) is sort of Popeye meets Jonah inside a whale (3 stars) and in "Lentil" (1940), a small-town boy's harmonica playing helps greet a returning war hero and civic leader (3.5 stars). Read-along features and a Spanish version of Make Way for Ducklings are included. Overall 3.5 stars.