“Look out!” squawked
Mrs. Mallard, all of a dither. “You’ll
get run over!”
It was the first
book I ever owned; I’m pretty certain that every child in my family received a
copy of Robert McCloskey’s Make Way for
Ducklings, first published in 1941. After all, we’re Boston born and/or bred...we’ve got tattered
and torn copies in hardcover, softcover; we’ve got them in bookcases, attics
and bedrooms.
It’s right up there with the family Bible.
No kidding.
Make Way for Ducklings is the story of a pair of ducks (Mr. and
Mrs. Mallard, of course – who needs anything more sophisticated than that?) who
search the Boston
area for a proper place to raise a family. After an overnight rest in the Public Garden ,
where they encounter a one of the city’s famous swan boats (they think it’s a
big bird) and have a close call with a kid on a bicycle, they set up
housekeeping on an island in the Charles River .
After their ducklings are born, Mr. Mallard takes off to explore the
area, leaving Mrs. at home with the children (don’t get me started on that!); they agree to meet up again in
the Public Garden
One week later, Mrs. Mallard leads her ducklings off the island and
across the highway (what is now Storrow Drive -- a major artery in/out of the
city proper) on her way to the Public Garden to meet Mr. Mallard. A local
policeman stops traffic for her; pedestrians admire her family as she struts
down the sidewalks. There’s a squad car at Beacon Street ; four policemen halt the
traffic to ensure safe crossing there, and, finally, Mrs. Mallard and the
ducklings are reunited with Mr. Mallard in the lagoon in the Boston Public
Garden
They live, of course, happily ever after.
In 1987, a bronze
statue of Mrs. Mallard and her eight ducklings was installed in a walkway made of
old Boston
cobblestone. In 1989, my nephew visited; here he is, atop Mrs. Mallard, with
Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouak, Pack and Quack trailing along behind!
Loved your post! It's human nature to worry about things lesser than ourselves - in this case, ducks. Every year at my favorite lake there are mother ducks with new ducklings. One year a young duckling somehow got separated from its mother & siblings & swam up & down the beach pitifully peeping over & over. You should have seen all the people, then, worriedly walking around trying to find its mother - myself included. Finally the mother found it & they were reunited to sighs of relief, laughter, cheers, & applause all along the beach. We smile at something like that, I think, because it renews our faith in the simple goodness of being human.
ReplyDeleteI loved that story -- and loved the fact that you, too, had ducks in your post (although yours were asleep, as I recall). I've always loved mallards...they remind me of my Boston grandmother, and I loved her dearly.
DeleteI'm glad it's not "make way for opossums."
ReplyDeleteI've been to the Public Garden -- just to see that line of statues. The BEST! You look at the statue and you know the story all over again.
So, did you ride on a swan boat? I spent lots of time there as a kid...feeding Mr. and Mrs. Mallard and all those ducklings! The statues ARE wonderful, aren't they?
DeleteYes indeed I rode the Swan Boat. That was my FIRST tourist moment in Boston.
DeleteWell I must have had a deprived childhood because I have never heard of this story but now you have enlightened me. It sounds like just the kind of story I would have enjoyed reading as a child.
ReplyDeleteYou've simply GOT to read this book -- absolutely the best picture book I've ever read; you will love it, truly!
DeleteJust the kind of imaginative book every child should be brought up on. A beautiful post.
ReplyDeleteIn 1941, a book reviewer actually said that it showed a strong female figure (Mrs. Mallard) who could do things competently on her own...I guess she's a feminist!
DeleteI've never heard of the story but I love that your family has such a strong tradition based on it. And I love the little statues!
ReplyDeleteIt's probably because we were all living in the area -- we knew the roads, the streets...we were very familiar with the Public Garden. And our parents loved the book!
DeleteMe again. I don't want to rain on your parade but here in Australia the Mallard is an introduced bird and regarded as a pest because it is interbreeding with one of our locals, the Black Duck. Shame really because it's a very pretty duck.
ReplyDeleteSorry about the mallard's bad rep in Australia! But I understand completely -- we have a similar problem with people feeding Canada geese up here; now they flock on people's lawns!
DeleteI loved the story and the statues. I wonder how the statues have survived with all the children climbing on them, not to mention people who like to destroy things.
ReplyDeleteApparently, the City of Boston doesn't have to do any "cleaning" maintenance on Mrs. Mallard -- she gets cleaned when the kids sit on her. One or two of the ducklings were stolen a number of years ago, and there was such outrage in Boston that it's never happened again!
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ReplyDeleteIn Stavanger it is an annual event for the police to escort ducklings to the lake in the centre of the town. There is a duck statue as well.
ReplyDeleteOh, Bob -- you've made my day! And Boston has an annual parade, too -- with everybody (adults and children) dressed up like mallards/ducklings! It's pretty amazing...
ReplyDeleteYou have Mr & Mrs Mallard, we have Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy, which every Kiwi kid grows up reading. The author lives just down the road, but I've never met her.
ReplyDeleteHairy Maclary? Never heard of him...but I followed your link; clearly, another beloved character from children's books (and such a face, yes?). Thanks, Brett...he's great!
DeleteThat’s a story I’ve never heard of, but I love the fact that they have been memorialised in this way.
ReplyDeleteIt's probably a New England thing...but it's a fabulous kids' book, even 60 years later!
DeleteWhat a delightful post...I don't remember reading this story, but my grands probably have (grandchildren I mean), and I love the statues...great pic too!
ReplyDeleteYour grands might know the story! Anyway, it's probably at your local library...give it a try.
DeleteI remember this book being read on a kids show in the '50s. It was either Captain Kangaroo or Ding Dong School with Miss Francis. A wonderful book.
ReplyDeleteGoodness -- Captain Kangaroo? I remember him fondly; his pal Mr. Greenjeans, etc. Never liked Ding Dong School -- the name just made me laugh!
DeleteI was an avid reader as a child (and to my children) but never came across this bridge.
ReplyDeleteLove the set of duck statues!
You'll love it, Sharon. An all-time favorite!
DeleteThose duck statues are great! I think my favourite duck tale predates yours by only a few years, called The story about Ping, by Marjory Flack, published in 1933.
ReplyDeleteI remember Ping, Jo! Maybe my love for Make Way for Ducklings comes from the fact that I actually spent time in the Boston Public Garden...it was all part of my reality!
DeleteI see that Make way for Ducklings is available in my local library - I will have to check it out :-)
ReplyDeleteOh, let me know how you like it...
DeleteI'm hopping over from A Sunday Drive and liked your post about the duck. What a lovely picture!
ReplyDeleteI am a 4th Degree Black Belt and children's author. For the month of April I decided to review 26 picture books as part of the A to Z Challenge. If you get a chance, I would love for you to visit my blog...
Take care,
Donna L Martin
www.donnalmartin.com