Cold Little Duck, Duck, Duck (Avenues)

When a cold little duck returns to her pond too early one "miserable and frozen spring," she receives an unpleasant surprise: her feet freeze to the ice ("stuck stuck stuck"). She tucks her head under her wing and begins to think warm thoughts of spring: "wiggly worms and shiny beetles" ("black black black") and "blades of grass in squishy mud" ("snack snack snack"). Her quiet and creative patience pays off, and before she knows it, spring has truly arrived, along with a group of ducks who touch down on the little pond beside the not-so-cold little duck.

The power of dreams and positive thinking is born out in this charming story of a duck that won't give up. Young readers will dream along with the feisty little duck, and rejoice when the ice cracks and she can wiggle her tail, waggle her wings, and kick kick kick her feet. Sam Williams's soft little duck and her pleasant reveries will linger in the reader's mind, as will the big, bold, rhyming text of Lisa Westberg Peters. (Baby to preschool) --Emilie Coulter