Farmer Duck

A hapless, but far from helpless, duck lives with an idle farmer who lazes all day in bed eating chocolates. So, Duck has to fetch the cow from the field, bring down the sheep, put the hens in their house and do all the household chores. This leaves the poor creature 'sleepy, weepy and tired'. That's when the other farm animals resolve to take the matter in hand: they drive the fat farmer far away and form their own contented co-operative. Helen Oxenbury's illustrations speak volumes: her weary, sorrowful duck almost brings tears to the eyes and it's easy to see how the anger in the animals' eyes alarmed the farmer. They're a perfect match for Martin Waddell's equally excellent text.