[BOOK REVIEW] The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? by Mo Willems

Title:  The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?

Author:  Mo Willems


Genre: Animal / Food / Humor / Manners


Year Published: 2012


Year Read: 2012


Series:  Pigeon

Publisher:  Disney-Hyperion

Source:  Library

Content Rating:  Ages 3+ (Some Rude Behavior)

After reading Mo Willems’ classic “Pigeon” books, “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” and “The Pigeon Wants a Puppy,” I wanted to check out more books from this series!  So, I picked up Mo Willems’ most recent book from the “Pigeon” series, “The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?” and I really enjoyed it!  “The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?” is a fantastic read for children who are fans of Mo Willems’ “Pigeon” series!

When the Duckling ends up getting a cookie because he politely asked for one, the Pigeon ends up getting angry at the Duckling and starts complaining about why he did not get a cookie.

What I always loved about Mo Willems’ works in children’s books is that he knows how to make sarcasm into its own breed of humor and still make it appropriate enough for young children to understand.  Told in the same vein as the previous “Pigeon” books with the Pigeon always complaining about not getting things his way, Mo Willems makes this book extremely hilarious and cute at the same time as the Duckling easily gets a cookie for being polite, while the Pigeon does not get a cookie.  I loved how Mo Willems’ writing is simplistic yet hilarious to read through as there are only a few sentences per page and it is mostly dealing with the characters making statements about getting a cookie.  I also loved the fact that the story pointed out that the reason why the duckling got a cookie was because he asked politely (a point he constantly makes to the Pigeon) and that is a positive aspect to the story that I really enjoyed since it would teach children about being polite when asking for things they want.  It was extremely hilarious seeing the Pigeon over react (as usual) to the Duckling getting a cookie while he in the past never got anything he wanted.  Mo Willems’ illustrations are simplistic and yet cute to look at, especially of the image of the duckling himself as the duckling is yellow, has big blue eyes and a small round body.

Overall, “The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?” is a truly clever little story that every fan of Mo Willems’ “Pigeon” series should definitely pick up!  I would recommend this story to children ages three and up since the story is appropriate for small children; unless the Pigeon’s hyperactive behavior is a bit too much for smaller children.