Here are some of this book's reviews
Once Upon A Time, Upon a Nest by Jonathan Emmett and Rebecca Harry is a warm, family saga expertly told and beautifully illustrated, with some of the most endearing ducks ever to waddle across the pages of a picture book. Little Ruby is a bit slower at hatching, eating and swimming than her siblings and Father duck is worried about her progress, but Mother knows she will flourish ‘in her own time’ and, of course, she's right. It's sweet, but not sickly, and the youngest members of the family will love this comforting story.
Kathryn Ross, THE SCOTSMAN
Messages about doing things in your own time are never wasted, particularly for today's over-achieving pre-schoolers (and their parents). All their ducklings are special to mother and father duck, but Ruby, the last to hatch, needs particular care to flourish. Last to eat, last to swim, last to fly, Ruby lags behind her siblings in everything. But when the time is right for her, it all falls into place. Soft-focus fluffy-duckling illustrations complement this warm-hearted and reassuring story.
Julia Eccleshare, THE GUARDIAN
Emmett's cuddly tale stars a mother and father duck who lovingly watch over the five eggs in their nest until hatching time arrives. But when only four ducklings break out of their shells, Mother and Father Duck assure the feathered siblings that baby number five will arrive "in its own time." The patient parents never pressure their fifth-born to keep up with the others ("We'll call her Ruby... because she's small and precious," says her mother). And though she's late to the party in many respects, Ruby eventually catches up and soars beyond her siblings on bold wings. The sweet, comforting tone of Emmett's text will be as welcome as a favorite blanket at bedtime. Bearing a resemblance to Leo the Late Bloomer, the story conveys the mother's knowing, steadfast support of Ruby, even as Father Duck has a few doubts ("Will it ever hatch?" he asks, "Will she ever swim?"). Harry's pastel illustrations, featuring fuzzy line-edges and warm, inviting tones, capture the brightness of a sunny day at the pond. And her fluffy ducklings are irresistible, sporting downy yellow feathers and wide orange beaks. All ages.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Painterly texture expressively applied ensures that every spread in this engaging picture book is full of movement and life and every slight curve of a beak or inclination of a neck convey the emotions of Father and Mother Duck as they worry about Ruby, the last hatched and smallest of their brood. While her siblings, Rufus, Rory, Rosie and Rebecca, forge independently ahead, Ruby lags behind... Will she ever do it? 'In her own time,' Mother Duck reiterates patiently. But when Ruby eventually spreads her wings and flies off into a glorious sunset it is Father Duck who reassures Mother Duck that she will come back 'in her own time'.
Harry's debut picture book artwork is an assured and confident interpretation of Emmett's warmly sensitive text.
Rosemary Stones, BOOKS FOR KEEPS
Reminiscent of a well-known tale, Ruby, the youngest of five ducklings, in her own time, learns what her siblings learn first: hatch, eat, swim, and take wing. Throughout the story Father Duck asks, "Will she ever . . . ?" "She will, in her own time," replies Mother Duck. The story comes full circle when Mother Duck asks, "Will she ever come back?" It's Father Duck who replies, "In her own time." And Ruby does, with a brood of her own, as Mother and Father Duck proudly look on.
Soft-edged forms and pastels create characters that mirror the lyrical language and calm tone of the story. Animal gestures are vividly illustrated as Ruby plops out of the egg or braves fierce winds and rain. Children will love the repetition and simple language. Adults will appreciate the reassuring and timeless message of honoring one's own rhythm in growing up. This message is not new, yet has a freshness and life all its own. (Picture book. 3-6).
KIRKUS REVIEWS
"Once upon a time / upon a nest / beside a lake, there lived two ducks." Soon there were blue eggs. One, two, three, four fluffy yellow ducklings - Rufus, Rory, Rosie, and Rebecca - popped out, but "small, precious" Ruby needed a little more time to emerge. In fact she needed a little more time to do most things: eating, swimming, flying away on her own. She just did everything in her own time - even when it came to returning home to her parents, with a family of her own.
Like Robert Kraus' character Leo the Late Bloomer, Ruby has plenty of parental support as she splashes her way through ducklinghood. The sweetly warm family dynamics are displayed in boldly stroked, soft-focus pictures rendered in sunny nursery colors - yellow, pink, powder blue, and sunset orange. A winning read, with characters that are very close to huggable.
Stephanie Zvirin, BOOKLIST
In today's dog-eat-dog world of competitive parenting, where moms and dads flaunt their children's developmental milestone accomplishments like Wall Street coups, little duckling Ruby simply won't play that game. She hatches late, is a picky eater, and refuses to swim, even while siblings Rufus, Rory, Rosie, and Rebecca stick with the program. Their father despairs of Ruby ever catching up, but wise Mother Duck is quietly confident: "She will ... in her own time." And sure enough, when it comes time to spread their wings, Ruby flies higher and farther than any of her brothers and sisters. But will she ever come back? You guessed it: "She will ... in her own time."
Jonathan Emmett pens a positively charming, nicely rounded story, perfect for tots - and their anxious parents - who live on their own timeline. Rebecca Harry's cheery pastel illustrations give readers an adorable duck family they'll want to reach out and touch. (Ages 3 to 7)
Emilie Coulter, AMAZON.COM
When Mother Duck's eggs began to hatch, Father Duck had instant doubts about the smallest one, Ruby. Ruby's siblings - Rufus, Rory, Rosie, and Rebecca - did everything right on schedule. They hatched on time. They started eating on time. They started swimming on time.
But not Ruby. Ruby was always late to develop the skills that came so naturally to all the other ducklings. She always acquired them, of course - but she always did it in her own time.
Rufus, Rory, Rosie, and Rebecca swam off whenever they were able.
They swam anywhere and everywhere .
But Ruby swam nowhere .
"Will she ever swim?" said Father Duck.
"She will," said Mother Duck, "in her own time."
Eventually, Ruby does everything she's supposed to and more, surpassing her siblings by flying higher and farther away than any of them.
A wonderful parable for children who might not be achieving what is expected of them on time, Jonathan Emmett delivers a tale that lets kids know it's all right if it takes a little longer for someone to learn things than it takes others. Rebecca Harry's soft illustrations capture the reader's attention as we watch the baby ducklings mature, Ruby - with her unique tousle of unruly feathers - always easily discernable from the rest.
Howard Price, THE TRADES
Two ducks watch over their five eggs, four of which hatch at the same time. Mother Duck tells Father Duck that the fifth one will hatch "in its own time." Eventually, the shell cracks and tiny Ruby enters the world. She tackles all tasks at her own pace, including eating and swimming. However, when it comes time for the siblings to stretch their wings, Ruby soars the farthest and highest. One day, she flies away, and her mother reassures her father that their child will return, once again, in her own time. When she does come home, Ruby is accompanied by her own mate and ducklings
This charming book celebrates an individual's determination and sense of self. The pacing of the rhythmic text is ideal for family storytimes that include youngsters of varying ages. Harry's soft, pastel paintings are gentle and appealing. They are slightly textured, suggesting the look of feathers, nests, and river reeds. Ruby flaps her wings to her own drummer and astute readers will recognize her parents' strength as they provide the necessary time and space for her to accomplish her goals.
Shawn Brommer, SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
Mother duck steadfastly sat on five eggs through all kinds of weather. Four ducklings poked out of the shells at the same time, but the fifth one was delayed. Father Duck wanted to know if it would ever hatch and Mother Duck replied, "In its own time." Sure enough, Ruby, so named because she was small and precious, was born. These reassuring words are repeated again as Ruby learns to eat and swim. But when the littlest duck learns to fly, she soars above the others. There is a wonderful lesson about growth and development, as all children do not learn at the same time. Wonderful illustrations with soft and breezy colors beautifully capture the engaging duck family. The heartwarming story is sure to appeal to young children and educators will discover a valuable lesson to share. Ages 4 to 8.
Laura Hummel, CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
This is a really sweet picture book which will appeal to the youngest children, and it is no surprise to read on the back flap that Rebecca Harry runs a greetings card company. Her characterisation of Jonathan Emmett's duck family in bright pastels is quite delicious.
The narrative appears simple and is gently told, yet it shares with all the best stories the fact that it has a real problem and a modern worry at its heart. Mother and Father Duck are good, concerned parents who have five eggs to sit on. Four out of the five hatch together, but the fifth egg does nothing. Will it ever hatch?' says Father Duck. 'It will,' says Mother Duck, 'in its own time.'
And thus a pattern is set where Ruby -so called because she is small and precious - does indeed take her time to do things, whether it is eating of swimming. This is, in the end, absolutely fine as when it comes to flying she flies off with her brothers and sisters. In a nice twist it is Mother Duck who wonders will she ever come back, 'She will,' says Father Duck, 'in her own time.'
The story is brought full circle when we see her next, complete with her own little family. A lovely parable of acceptance in these competitive times.
Lucinda Jacob, SCHOOL LIBRARIAN
From the start Mother Duck knew that Ruby (so called because she is small and precious) would do things in her own good time; and, long after her siblings, of course she did. Till, when it comes to taking flight, Ruby outflies her brothers and sisters. Mother and Father Duck await her return (it's father who does the reassuring this time) and finally, in her own time, Ruby does return – a mother herself.
Soft pastel shades and outlines give a misty quality to the illustrations which have a kind of tactile quality ; many of my audience of under fives kept stroking the pages ‘‘trying to feel the downy feathers,’’ as one child put it. The telling of the story and the page layout are such that learner readers might well be able to enjoy reading the story themselves once it has been shared with them. A real winner this: Ruby should certainly find many new friends among early years listeners.
Jill Bennett, WORDPOOL
“Once upon a time upon a nest, beside a lake, there lived two ducks.” Mother Duck and Father Duck have five eggs which Mother Duck sits on despite the wind and rain. Four eggs hatch but the fifth did nothing. Eventually Ruby hatches but she is reluctant to join her brothers and sisters. Mother Duck keeps telling Father Duck she will “in her own time” and sure enough she does and brings home a few surprises for her parents. This has gorgeous illustrations and the story is simple enough for younger children with possibly a message for all us parents in there too. I think this would make a lovely alternative to chocolate this Easter.
FAMILIES ONLINE
Ruby the duck liked to take her time. She was the last of her brothers and sisters to hatch from her egg and the last to learn to swim. But when Ruby’s brothers and sisters learn to fly, Ruby does too, and soon she is “soaring high among the clouds”.
A delightful spring story with fantastic flocking on the cover*, that children will definitely want to hear over and over again.
OTTAKAR'S BOOK OF THE MONTH - MARCH 2005
* This refers to the UK paperback edition.
Fiona Martin, OTTAKAR'S
A gentle, loving story which would be a great readaloud for preschoolers. Ruby, the littlest duckling, is very slow to hatch, eat, swim, fly. Wise mother duck just says, "She'll do it in her own time." Which Ruby does, including flying further than all the other ducks - and then coming back to hatch her own brood. Glowing colours of pink, orange, green and blue are used in a soft style that conveys an impression of warmth and security.
Lorraine Orman, STORY-GO-ROUND
Jonathan Emmett's tale of Ruby, the duckling who is always dragging behind her siblings, has some wise insights as well as some engaging words and pictures.
Ruby lingers behind her four siblings when they hatch out of their duckling eggs. In fact, she is always the last of the five to acquire crucial duck skills, including foraging for food and swimming around the lake.
Though her attentive parents worry about Ruby's slower development, Mother Duck comforts Father Duck's repetitive, "Will she ever?" questions with, "She will in her own time." The pages of this 10-inch-square book are covered with un-complicated scenes featuring Ruby, Rufus, Rory, Rosie and Rebecca under the watchful eyes of Mother Duck and Father Duck. The engaging illustrations and flowing text combine to give family and school settings a wise story to share.
Bonnie Fowler, WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL
A duckling hatches late but blooms into a fine bird.
Ruby is the last of her brood to crack through the shell, the last to eat, the last to swim, but the very first to soar high through the clouds. She and her siblings fly out of her parents lives. Ruby, faithfully, returns one day, a mother on her own.
This is a book that gently chides parents, especially impatient fathers, to let time take its course. Each child develops at their own pace and in their own way. I was convinced that Timothy wouldn't be in college before he was potty-trained. I was wrong.
David Ross, U-PASADENA STAR NEWS
Young readers tag along with little Ruby the duck who shows them that they, too, in their own time will learn how to do the things their brothers, sisters, or peers can do. Ruby sets her own pace learning how to eat, swim, and fly until eventually she surpasses her siblings and claims her independence in this simple yet moving story about growing up. Ages 1-7.
GEORGIA FAMILY MAGAZINE
Ruby In Her Own Time (all ages) by Jonathan Emmett is a heart-warming story about the littlest duckling in a family who learns to eat and swim long after her brothers and sisters. The reassuring Mama tells Papa she will do it all "in her own time."
It's a story children will identify with if they have ever been the smallest or slowest, or in-between. Rebecca Harry's pictures are precious.
SUNDAY REPUBLICAN, Waterbury Connecticut |
Ruby Flew Too!
Ruby in Her Own Time
