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Make Way jacket.jpg

Age Range: 4-8 years

Hardcover: 48 pages

Publisher: Random House Studio, 

April 11, 2023

ISBN: 9780593373354

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★ Kirkus, starred review

★ Publisher's Weekly, starred review

About the Book

A beautiful and fascinating picture book biography that follows the lives of Robert McCloskey, creator of Make Way for Ducklings, and sculptor Nancy Schön, whose famous bronze ducks grace the Boston Public Garden.

In the beginning, there was a boy named Robert McCloskey, growing up in Ohio, his hands always moving, always creating. Many years later, after attending art school in Boston, he would reflect on his days wandering through Boston Garden and write the classic picture book  Make Way for Ducklings.

In the beginning, there was also a girl named Nancy Schön. She grew up in Newton, Massachusetts, working in her father’s greenhouse, twisting wire and boughs into wreaths. Many years later, Nancy would look at Robert’s drawings in
Make Way for Ducklings and get the seed of an idea. That seed became the beloved bronze sculptures of Mrs. Mallard and her eight ducklings that stand in Boston Public Garden today.

This stunning and clever picture book biography intertwines the lives of two phenomenal artists–who were contemporaries and friends–and reveals the extraordinary impact they've had on generations of children.

If you'd like to preorder a signed copy of Make Way, you can order from The Vermont Book Shop. Simply leave a signed/personalization request in the comments at checkout. They ship, too!

Praise for Make Way:

  • "A wonderful picture book about creativity and collaboration."- ★ review, Kirkus

  • "Burke Kunkel renders a genuinely suspenseful and touching account of Schön delicately approaching McCloskey with the idea of memorializing his book’s characters." - ★ review, Publisher's Weekly

  • " . . .the evocative text balances [McCloskey and Schön's] artistic pursuits." - Booklist

  • "Kunkel dips into and out of each creator’s story line smoothly and effectively, advancing the narrative to get to the heart of the book." - The Horn Book

  • "A visually appealing and well-researched addition to biographical narratives" - School Library Journal

  • A "beguiling account . . . Through the ups and downs of the paired stories, readers 5-8 will participate in 'the building up and the taking away' as ideas are turned into art." - The Wall Street Journal

Also Seen In . . .

  • "A new picture book explores the creators behind the most beloved ducklings in Boston," Boston Globe

  • "'Make Way' for this Vergennes children's book author," Addison Independent

  • "6 books you should read this June, according to local booksellers," Boston.com

  • 2024 Mock Caldecott List by John Schu and Colby Sharp, Watch.Connect. Read

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