Meet Daredevil Duck, who wants very, very much to be brave. Why, he’s just raring to swing from balloons high in the air or speed through the wilderness on his Super Speedy tricycle. He’s dressed for the part, too—decked out in his Hero Helmet, super-cool x-ray goggles and a Super Hero cape (which looks suspiciously like a tablecloth borrowed from the picnic basket).
Yes, Daredevil Duck definitely wants to be the bravest duck in the whole wide world. But sometimes (in fact, most of the time) he’s not.
For the truth is that the big wide world has lots of frightening things in it: things that are too dark or too fluttery, things too high or too wet. And that’s just for starters. The world is also full of other ducks who sometimes tease.
Then comes the day when Daredevil Duck forgets his own fears to perform a daring deed for a little mole. This success gives him the confidence and the belief in himself to try one new thing, and then another and another.
Daredevil Duck is British artist Charlie Alder’s first authored and illustrated picture book. She was inspired to create her hero’s antics by watching her own son careen around on his squeaky red tricycle. With its bright and colorful pictures and inventive use of flaps to entice young readers to turn the page, Daredevil Duck is a fun and appealing book perfect for any daredevil tricycle rider.
Deborah Hopkinson’s next book, Courage & Defiance, will be released this fall.
