DUCK! RABBIT! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Tom Lichtenheld

Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Tom Lichtenheld
Geared Towards: Ages 4-8
Published By: Chronicle Books
Publication Date: March 2009
ISBN: 978-0-8118-6865-5

I've always enjoyed looking at optical illusions and trying to see if I could find all of the possible picture scenrios. That's why I was so excited to learn about Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Tom Lichtenheld. The focus of this book, as you likely have guessed by now, is a white creature outlined in a bold black. From one perspective the critter looks undeniably like a duck, but when you allow yourself to step back and consider it a bit more you can also see a rabbit.

The characters in this book are unseen, but the entire book is made up of them arguing over this duck/rabbit creature they spot outside under the beautiful blue sky. Each is adamant that he (or she) is right, and refuses to open his mind to the possibility that perhaps the other is right. Underneath the obvious storyline was a hidden little gem too. I think it served as a good example of why arguing really isn't all it's cracked up to be. Most readers can probably agree that if you look hard enough you'll see both the duck and rabbit. There's no way to tell for sure though which animal it really is. So, perhaps kids reading this can take with them the idea that sometimes you simply can't know who is right and must both conceed to draw.

It's a short little picture book, but Duck! Rabbit! is quite clever and a lot of fun. I personally was able to see both the duck and the rabbit, but as I tend to do with most optical illustions I tended to see one more so than the other. For me it was the rabbit. If I forced myself to see it I could definitely make out the duck though. My 5-year old also saw both but seemed to take note of the bunny more. My 3-year old was the exact opposite, seeing both but claiming to see the duck more so than the bunny.

OUR RATING: 5 hearts