10 Little Rubber Ducks

All Ages

Birth - 12 months

by Eric Carle
Illustration by Eric Carle

"Ducks overboard " shouts the captain, as a giant wave washes a box of 10 little rubber ducks off his cargo ship and into the sea. The 10 little rubber ducks are swept away in various directions. One drifts west, where a friendly dolphin jumps over it. A whale sings to another. But, as the sun sets, the 10th little rubber duck is left all alone, bobbing helplessly on the big wide sea. Small readers and listeners will empathize with the little duck's plight -- and will rejoice at the heartwarming surprise ending.

In this poignant and funny story, illustrated with strikingly designed collages, Eric Carle also takes readers on an exciting voyage of discovery. Following the little ducks as they float to all parts of the globe, young explorers can see for themselves the meanings of directional words, and learn simple math concepts such as counting and the use of cardinal and ordinal numbers. Each creature the ducks meet is seen in its own habitat and behaves in a true-to-life manner, offering a very simple first view of biology and geography.

Age: 3 Year-olds | Title: 10 Little Rubber Ducks | Author: Eric Carle | Publisher: HarperCollins

Why we chose this book

Everything Eric Carle does is gorgeous and this book is no exception. He is probably best known for "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" which is aimed at a little younger audience. This book is more complicated and features counting which is why I think it is appropriate for 3-year olds. There is a lot to please almost any child. There is manufacturing and machinery and boats and animals and a wonderful "squeak" at the end. The illustrations are bold and bright and will hold a child's attention.

You will enjoy reading this book with your child because there is so much to see and do. Besides the obvious activity of learning to count, you can explore the ocean and its animals, and the difference between real ducks and play ducks. The illustrations are so compelling that children will also enjoy looking through this book by themselves. They won't be able to "read" the way you and I do, but they will probably memorize the story and tell it to themselves in some fashion over and over.

My grandson, Felix saw his first picture of an octopus in this book and he has been fascinated ever since. When we went to the Seattle Aquarium he stood entranced by the octopus exhibit for a long time. Here is a great example of how a good book can open up a child's world.

--Barney