School Library Journal Review
PreS"Come along, Daisy," says Mama Duck, but distractions abound and, like any toddler, Daisy can't help lagging behind. Stopping to hop across lily pads with a frog, she is left all alone. Suddenly the sun-drenched pond seems a little frightening, until Mama appears at just the right moment. The inquisitive duckling is an expressive splash of yellow in Simmons's blue-green pondscapes; the story unfolds in a series of watery panoramas amid bold forms and broad strokes of color. Art and text work inseparably here to create a winning character parents will find endearingly familiar and children will know as one of their own. Both cautionary and reassuring, artful and artless, this is a gem of a story and a masterful piece of picture-book artistry.-Marcia Hupp, Mamaroneck Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Daisy, a curious duckling, investigates all the wildlife on her pond and forgets to follow Mama. She finds herself alone in a scary world until her mama finds her. The simple story is presented with humor and drama, from a duckling's-eye view. The comforting paintings convey the soft lushness of spring. From HORN BOOK Fall 1998, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
This cautionary tale from Simmons explores no new terrain, though the duckling Daisy does. As Daisy and her mother go for a morning float, the mother advises Daisy to stay close. ``I'll try,'' Daisy chimes, but there are just too many delights to partake in: minnows, dragonflies, lily pads, frogs. So rapt is Daisy that she loses sight of her mother. Daisy's world becomes a menacing place: Pike lurk in the shadowy depths, a raptor screeches in the sky above. Daisy hides, but something rustles and ``is getting closer, and closer, and CLOSER.'' Just when preschoolers will be at the edge of their chairs comes the revelation that the threat is the mother duck, back to find her offspring. This picture book has just enough suspense, without being too scary; deep green reeds dominate the splotchy, roughly textured painting. The dramatic images can be viewed from a distance, making this an appealing read-aloud for story hours. (Picture book. 3-7)
Booklist Review
Ages 2^-4. Little Daisy tries to follow along behind Mama Duck, but she's soon distracted: watching fish, chasing dragonflies, and bouncing across the lily pads beside a frog. When the frog splashes into the water and disappears, Daisy looks for Mama Duck and finds herself alone. Suddenly afraid of a big fish below her and a hawk above her, Daisy hides in the reeds until her mother finds her. Relieved, she stays close to her mother. This simple, sympathetic tale will speak clearly to preschoolers' simultaneous drives for independence and belonging. Creating a beautiful setting for the story, Simmons' luminous paintings stretch across each double-page spread in a series of dramatic, well-composed scenes--that also show the appropiate whimsy when called for. Seen to best advantage at a little distance, the large-scale, impressionistic paintings are sometimes watery and translucent and sometimes dense with layers of rich colors. A pleasure to read aloud to young children, this beautifully made picture book succeeds on many levels. --Carolyn Phelan
