Have You Seen My Duckling?

'Have you seen my duckling?' an anxious mother duck asks a series of waterside creatures (and incidentally the reader) in turn, the words of this title question making up almost all the text. Much of the fun of this book is that if readers look closely they can see what the mallard cannot: her 'missing' baby is close by, enjoying exploring the lake. What is not said in the words reinforces the idea that here, pictures and text are an interdependent part of the storymaking. Further delights are added by the close-up illustrations of the animals.