Duck for President
A book review for parents
This talking animals book by Doreen Cronin is published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and is written for kids ages 5 to 10. The age range reflects readability and not necessarily content appropriateness.
Plot Summary
Duck doesn't like the chores that Farmer Brown gives him, so Duck holds an election. Upon ousting his opponent and becoming head of the farm, he realizes his new job is hard work. He decides to leave the farm and campaign for governor — which, he learns upon winning, is also hard. A subsequent presidential campaign lands him in the Oval Office, but it is also too much work, and it gives him a headache. Finally, he returns to Farmer Brown's farm to write his memoirs.
Christian Beliefs
None
Authority Roles
Hard-working Farmer Brown gives the animals chores. He and the governor, whom Duck defeats, show anger and indignation over losing to their feathered foe.
Other Belief Systems
None
Profanity/Graphic Violence
None
Kissing/Sex/Homosexuality
None
Awards
The Children's Choices 2005 (Children's Book Council); NAPPA Honors Award Winner 2004; The New York Times Best Illustrated Books 2004; and many others.
Discussion Topics
If your children have read this book or someone has read it to them, consider these discussion topics:
- What does Duck learn about each elected jobs he gets?
- Do you think Duck's decisions to run for office were good or bad choices?
- If you were unhappy with something just as Duck was about his chores, what might you do to change things?
Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. A book's inclusion does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.