THE FIRE-BREATHING DUCKLING

Are You My Mother? meets “The Ugly Duckling” as a young dragon tries to figure out who he is.

After a rather large red egg appears overnight in Mama Duck’s nest, she’s surprised but determined to love all her ducklings, no matter how different they may be. When the eggs hatch, three of her four children quack and float as expected, but the horned and spiny Nort snorts, and he sinks when he attempts to swim, to the amusement of the other animals at the pond. “Maybe you’re not one of those Quacking Ducklings,” says Piper, a kindly bird. “Maybe you are an Oinking Duckling.” Piper takes Nort on a tour of the various other mooing and clucking “ducklings” in the area, but each interaction leaves poor Nort feeling more disconsolate than ever. When a threat appears at the pond, Nort has a chance to shine, gathering his courage, drawing on hidden talents, and saving the day. Though this work of graphic fiction is brief, intriguing bits of foreshadowing nevertheless keep the story flowing toward its fiery conclusion as Nort snorts and chokes his way through various barnyard encounters. Nort’s catlike design lends itself to some endearing poses, and Piper’s endless social connections and repeated refrain of “follow me” will elicit chuckles right up until book’s end.

A short and sweet journey of self-discovery.