Come Home Already! (Bear and Duck # 3)

PreS-Gr 2--John teams up with Davies for a third comedic adventure starring a quiet bear and a hyperactive duck. The wildly gesturing, finger-feathered duck arises one bright morning and, after a huge, syrup-laden breakfast, feels the urge to visit his neighbor Bear. But a sign on Bear's door announces that he has gone fishing for the whole week. "He's gone fishing? Without me? But...but...FISHING?! What am I going to do with myself until then?!" Duck is shedding feathers in his panic. Meanwhile, Bear follows the twisty trail delineated on his map, thinking, "This is the life. Alone with my thoughts. No pesky neighbors knocking on my door at all hours." While Duck careens from one activity to another, increasingly desperate for company, Bear learns that camping isn't as tranquil as he'd expected. The tent is hard to set up; the fish won't bite; it's starting to rain. Luckily, Duck has exhausted his options and finds his soggy, hungry neighbor at the campsite. In his nonstop, annoying way, he saves the day and Bear feels a bit better about Duck--until he doesn't. Davies's background as an animator is evident in his wonderfully contrasting, ever-changing colors and kinetics. The use of varied panels, poses, and fonts keeps the eyes and mind moving through the action. VERDICT Children will enjoy the light, satirical humor in this story of two unlikely companions. A hilarious choice for most libraries.--Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, NY