Click, Clack, Surprise!

K-Gr 2—In the latest addition to the "Click, Clack" series, it's Little Duck's first birthday, and all the animals on the farm are preparing for the celebration. Little Duck has never gotten ready for a party before and doesn't know quite what to do, so she tries copying everyone else. She takes a long, hot bubble bath like Duck; she shears her feathers like the sheep; she licks herself clean like the cat; she takes a dust bath like the chickens; and she has a mud bath like the pigs. By the time Little Duck ends up at her party, she's wet, has spiky feathers, and is covered in dust and mud—it's truly a birthday surprise for everyone. Betsy Lewin's loose pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations perfectly capture the lighthearted spirit of the day, and young viewers will enjoy seeing their favorite farm animals—and Farmer Brown, too—getting ready for the party. Maurice England's deep, drawling narration is complemented by twanging banjo background music that helps establish the festive vibe.