The Itsy Bitsy Duckling

Burton and Rescek welcome the spring in this spin on “The Itsy Bitsy Spider,” which follows The Itsy Bitsy Reindeer and other collaborations. Rescek’s cozy-cute artwork highlights numerous animal families in addition to the featured duckling: frogs and colorful bugs take shelter from a storm (“Down came the rain/ and chased the snow away”), purple birds sing from a tree branch, and bears in nightcaps and pajamas stretch in their burrow after a winter of hibernation. Burton’s rhymes hit the occasional off note, but children should find it easy to get swept up in the atmosphere of energy and exploration. Ages 2–4. Illustrator’s agency: Bright Agency. (Jan.)