You Lucky Duck Storytime

Zaza and her family (The Show Must Go On) of theatrical bears are back, and she is harboring doubts about the lives they lead. Her father writes plays like King Bear, which the family troupe then performs. ``Why can't we just be normal?'' Zaza wonders, a sentiment reinforced whenever she visits her friend Shirl. Shirl's familya bevy of ducksspends time on activities like mowing the lawn and cooking dinner, which look blissfully ordinary to Zaza's eyes. Although Zaza is careful to conceal her family's eccentricities, one day Shirl drops in on a rehearsal. ``You're all in a play! You lucky duck!'' she exclaimsand Zaza begins to see that, indeed, she is. This goodhumored story aptly speaks to children who have ever felt embarrassed by their family. McCully masterfully expresses the story through pictures; they are effectively combined with a low-key, straightforward text. Her simple lines, overlaid with watercolor wash, convey a wealth of humor and affection. Ages 3-6. (March)