Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1--An adorable little duckling, distracted by a monarch butterfly, gets lost in the grass. A helpful dog guides him back to his family. The dog is itchy, so a kind chicken scratches his back. A blustery wind chills the chicken, and a woolly sheep helps warm her. The chain of helpful farm animals continues. Concise text repeats key phrases like "uh-oh," "I can help," and "thank you," creating a cozy rhythm to the simple story. The artwork is colorful, and the realistic watercolor shading brings the cheerful animals to life. The story's message is that kindness will come back to the giver as the animals demonstrate a helpful attitude, creative problem-solving, and gratitude. Eventually it wraps back around to the beginning, not quite a circular narrative, but still tempting enough to read again. VERDICT This book checks so many boxes--farm animals, books about helping and gratitude, great read-alouds--that it would be a popular addition to all collections.
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Friendly creatures lend a hand (or a paw, a hoof, or a wing). Mimicking the pattern set up in previous works--I Can Help (2010) andI Can Help in the Neighborhood (2024)--Costello follows a string of farm animals as they help each other out of various sticky situations. A duckling patters curiously after a butterfly and gets lost. A dog bounds in to offer aid: "I can help." The pooch flattens out the tall grass, clearing a path and allowing the duckling to reunite with family. Modeling appropriate manners, the duckling happily quacks, "Thank you, dog!" But now the dog is itchy. A sharp-nailed chicken scratches the dog's back ("I can help"). The dog appreciatively barks, "Thank you, chicken!" Short, repetitive phrases, along with simple acts of kindness depicted in the artwork, make it clear to readers that they, too, can always be of assistance. Chicken coops, hay bales, and rolling meadows dot the farm setting, with each animal thickly lined in black in the foreground to highlight the predicament they have found themselves in. Coming full circle in the end, the little duckling returns the favor when another animal requires help. Cooperation and community at its finest.(Picture book. 2-5) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
