Here comes Duck in his truck, the wonderful new character soon to be the focus of a whole new series. But watch out for that rock Duck ...too late Duck's truck is stuck in the muck! The truck is well and truly stuck, but luckily help is at hand in the form of a Frog. When the Frog and the Duck fail to eject the truck, they enlist the help of a Sheep who just happens to be passing by in his green jeep. But even the might of the sheep can't move the truck. Fortunately, there is a nearby lake and at this very moment a clever goat floats by relaxing in his boat. He devises a cunning plan which does indeed set the truck free...but with unexpected and hilarious consequences. AGE 4-7

About the Author

Jez was born in Kingston upon Thames in 1959. He went to art school in Norwich and then set about entering the competitve world of children's books. Jez has now written and illustrated over thirty picture books for children, he was runner up of the 1985 Mother Goose Award with his first book Bare Bear. Jez lives in London with his Danish wife.

Reviews

"This is the Duck driving home in a truck./ This is the track which is taking him back." So begins this deliciously percussive rhyming story of a feathered truck driver who becomes mired in muck and the three animal Good Samaritans (a frog, a sheep and a goat) who try to help him. As Alborough's (It's the Bear; My Friend Bear) words roll out in an infectious, hard-hitting beat with more than a few rhythmic surprises, he metes out his bold pictures in perfect accompaniment. A triptych of vignettes creates a slow-motion effect as the truck first strikes a rock, is then shown aloft, and finally hits the muck; close-up spreads focus on the exasperated characters attempting to budge the vehicle. With light-hearted tension, wry characterizations and lots of squishy mud, this tale makes for a quacking good read-aloud. Ages 3-6. (Feb.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

"This is the duck driving home in a truck. This is the track which is taking him back. This is the rock stuck by the truck and this is the muck where the truck becomes stuck." Thus is the scene set for a comic escapade involving a sheep in a jeep and a goat in a motorboat, trying all a manner of tricks to free the cantankerous duck. Alborough's text is perfect for reading out loud, and the mix of close-up and panoramic illustrations give an animated, live action feel. Junior Magazine Nov '99