This is a lovely story with engaging illustrations. First, it is a North-South book, and I have always found their picturebooks intriguing. This particular gem is the story within a story of Duck. He finds a pen and then wanders over to Toad's house to see if he wants to go boating. But Toad has found a pair of glasses and is busy "reading." Duck can't find Hedgehog and Otter, so he thinks "If Toad can read because he has glasses, then I must be able to write because I have a pen!" Duck writes everything he knows about himself - and who better to read it than Toad? Toad creates Duck's Tale - a poignant story of friendship - and promises to "read" any more adventures Duck writes.

I am guessing the medium is watercolor and ink (yeah, yeah, I don't know much about art). The pictures are warm and soft, but the animals have cheerful colors and quirky notes; each has a piece of clothing (except Hedgehog, who apparently only wears his scarf in winter) Duck has a hat, Toad a vest and Otter a scarf.
This is a story of friendship and summer, of imagination and art.

Verdict: A warm story of friendship and an imaginative tale of writing. Recommended - it's worth finding a lightly used copy for your personal or library collection.

ISBN: 978-0735821330; Published March 2007 by North-South (out of print); Borrowed from the library; Added to my personal wishlist

De kinderboeken van Harmen van Straaten zijn uitstekend om voor te lezen voor 3-jarigen en ouder. Ze bevatten een kort verhaal dat makkelijk te begrijpen is met prachtige tekeningen geïllustreerd. ( )

Duck’s Tale is a lovely story about the friendship between Toad and Duck. Duck finds a pen and takes it to Toad’s house. Toad is busy when Duck arrives. He is reading the newspaper while wearing his reading glasses. Duck concludes that Toad reads because he has glasses. Duck subsequently decides that possessing a pen should enable him to write. He writes for an entire day and then invites Toad to ‘read’ his ’story.’ Not one to disappoint his good friend, Toad ‘reads’ Duck’s Tale beautifully.

Recommended for children 3 and up. Older boys and girls will appreciate the subtleties and perhaps wonder whether Duck actually writes a story and if Toad is indeed able read.