After squabbling with her mother, Duckling declares that she is running away and never coming back. Toddlers may empathise with the intensity of Duckling’s frustration, evident in her resolute body language and definitive reply as she declines her friends’ invitations to play.
The repeated phrase “I’m running away” invites participation and highlighted words (whether they are nouns, verbs or phrases) are used for emphasis and an added literacy tool. Delightful, saturated colour illustrations of baby farmyard animals complement the simple, repetitive well-spaced text. Through images alone, the reader senses the impending night, possibly recognising before Duckling that soon it will be dark and she will want to go home. The ending, while predictable, is heart-warming, reassuring and satisfying.