Duck for President

Rating:
Summary: Mr. Duck Goes to Washington
Review: Writing a satirical picture book is very hard work. Yet when author Doreen Cronin and her partner in crime illustrator Betsy Lewin wanted to write a coy clever encapsulation of politics for young `uns, they knew they had a character at their fingertips just itching to be used. Having first appeared in the duo's much loved, "Click, Clack, Moo", and risen to power in the subsequent, "Giggle, Giggle, Quack", Duck is a hero for our times. Now the famous fowl has set his sights on a goal worthy of his stature. He's running for president.

When the book begins Duck is working at Farmer Brown's farm, doing the necessary chores. But this becomes tedious to Duck and he insists on holding an election. Farmer Brown is chagrined soon after to find that Duck beat him fair and square. Duck is pleased with his success, but he soon finds that running a farm is hard work. Very hard work. So, without further ado, Duck runs for governor. Sporting placards that read, "I'm a duck, not a politician!", he visits small-town diners, marches in parades, and (my favorite line in the book), "gave speeches that only other ducks could understand". Duck beats the governor but finds that running a state is, you got it, "very hard work". So it's off to run for the presidency. You see where this is going. After making it into the White House duck finally finds that he still has to do a lot of work. A quick searching of the want ads reveal that Farmer Brown is looking for a good duck. The VP is placed in charge, duck returns to the farm, and the last shot we see of him is as he's writing out his memoirs.

This is probably my favorite book out of all the Cronin/Lewin concoctions. Kids will be amused by duck's antics and the silly ways in which he rises to power. Adults will be amused by the subtle references made throughout the story to contemporary politics. Note that on the title page Duck is looking a heckuva lot like Richard Nixon. Note that his presidential bid comes complete with placards reading, "Duck, making us proud again". Kids reading the tale may also notice the difference between campaigning for state governor and president. Where a person running for the state position walks in parades, and goes to town meetings, a person running for president rides in parades and plays the saxophone on late night television. I was also amused by author Cronin's choice of words. Each time Duck ends up doing work he gets covered in all kinds of junk. As a farmer he's covered in mud, muck, and coffee stains. As a governor he's covered in fingerprints, mayonnaise, and coffee stains. And as president he's covered in security badges, Secret Service agents, and coffee stains. Silly stuff.

There are plenty of picture books out there that deal with showing kids how the political process works. Most of these are dour staid affairs that deal only with the wonders of the president and how "he" can do nothing wrong. "Duck For President" is cannier than that. Through it, kids can read a satire that will amuse both their parents and themselves. They can see that sometimes the politicians we elect are not always up for the job. Using amusing pictures, repetition, and some delightful twists in the plotting, "Duck For President" is a great great book. Buy it if you have a sense of humor. Or want one.