Dame Duck's First Lecture on Education

In this cheerful rhyming tale, an affectionate mother duck welcomes her newly hatched brood into the world. Nestled beside a quiet stream and moat, the fluffy ducklings are eager to explore, though they must first learn the manners and movements of “well-bred” ducks.

Their first lesson is delightfully practical: how to waddle, turn their toes, walk in a straight line, swim across the pond, and snap up tasty flies. Dame Duck then leads her pupils to the poultry-yard, where a meal of bran and mashed bread awaits—and where the ducklings discover that getting enough to eat may require confidence, speed, and a little cleverness. Written in lively verse and filled with gentle humor, this old-fashioned picture book offers young listeners a playful introduction to a mother’s lessons, a duckling’s adventures, and the fun of learning by imitation.