All Along the River

Bunny Rabbit and her brothers set sail to recover a beloved toy duck in this lighthearted seek-and-find adventure. Their journey begins “high up above the clouds” at the foot of a creaking glacier, but the scenery soon changes as the rescue effort takes them through forest, meadow, and marshland—over a waterfall and past factories, tulips, and more. Meanwhile, jaunty Little Duck, identifiable by the red ribbon tied around its neck, challenges readers to pick it out from Weightman’s pleasingly busy scenes, which burst with the kind of clever and surprising details that encourage further imagining. A guide at the start encourages readers to follow the journeys of other recurring animal characters—like the roller-skating Chuck the Chicken (“Who will he help along the way?”) and the motorcycling Road Hogs (“Why are they in such a hurry?”). Even after Little Duck has been reunited with Bunny—and a final twist has been revealed—there’s ample reason to venture down this river again. Ages 4–up. [em](May) [/em]