Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey, is a wonderful classic kid's book read aloud for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school ages (and adults still young at heart).
Parents and teachers, join me here at The Children's Storytime Bookshelf for daily read alouds in the classroom, at bedtime, or anytime!
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Parents and teachers, join me here at The Children's Storytime Bookshelf for daily read alouds in the classroom, at bedtime, or anytime!
Follow The Children's Storytime Bookshelf for a classic children's library.
#kidsbooksreadaloud #readaloud #readaloudbooksforchildren
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LearningTranscript
00:00Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McClellan.
00:31Mr. and Mrs. Mallard were looking for a place to live.
00:37But every time Mr. Mallard saw what looked like a nice place,
00:41Mrs. Mallard said it was no good.
00:44There was sure to be foxes in the woods or turtles in the water,
00:49and she was not going to raise a family where there might be foxes or turtles.
00:53So they flew on and on.
00:57When they got to Boston, they felt too tired to fly any further.
01:02There was a nice pond in the public garden with a little island on it.
01:06The very place to spend the night, quacked Mr. Mallard.
01:10So down they flapped.
01:15Next morning, they fished for their breakfast in the mud at the bottom of the pond,
01:20but they didn't find much.
01:23Just as they were getting ready to start on their way,
01:27a strange, enormous bird came by.
01:30It was pushing a boat full of people, and there was a man sitting on its back.
01:35Good morning, quacked Mr. Mallard, being polite.
01:39The big bird was too proud to answer,
01:42but the people on the boat threw peanuts into the water,
01:45so the mallards followed them all around the pond and got enough to eat.
01:50So the mallards followed them all around the pond and got another breakfast,
01:54better than the first.
01:59I like this place, said Mrs. Mallard as they climbed out on the bank and waddled along.
02:05Why don't we build a nest and raise our ducklings right in this pond?
02:09There are no foxes and no turtles, and the people feed us peanuts.
02:14What could be better?
02:16Good, said Mr. Mallard, delighted that at last Mrs. Mallard had found a place that suited her.
02:22But...
02:27Look out! squawked Mrs. Mallard, all of a dither.
02:31You'll get run over!
02:33And when she got her breath, she added,
02:35This is no place for babies, with all of those horrid things rushing about.
02:41We'll have to look somewhere else.
02:46So they flew round Beacon Hill and the State House, but there was no place there.
02:55They looked in Lewisburg Square, but there was no water to swim in.
03:03Then they flew over the Charles River.
03:06This is better, quacked Mr. Mallard.
03:09That island looks like a nice quiet place, and it's only a little way from the public garden.
03:15Yes, said Mrs. Mallard, remembering the peanuts.
03:19That looks like just the right place to hatch ducklings.
03:27So they chose a cozy spot among the bushes near the water and settled down to build their nest.
03:33And only just in time, for now they were beginning to molt.
03:37All their old wing feathers started to drop out,
03:40and they would not be able to fly again until the new ones grew in.
03:46But of course they could swim.
03:49And one day they swam over to the park on the riverbank,
03:52and there they met a policeman called Michael.
03:55Michael fed them peanuts, and after that the Mallards called on Michael every day.
04:05After Mrs. Mallard laid eight eggs in the nest,
04:08she couldn't go to visit Michael anymore,
04:11because she had to sit on the eggs to keep them warm.
04:14She moved off the nest only to get a drink of water,
04:17or to have her lunch, or to count the eggs and make sure they were all there.
04:25One day the ducklings hatched out.
04:28First came Jack, then Cack, and then Lack,
04:32then Mack and Mack and Quack and Pack and Quack.
04:36Mr. and Mrs. Mallard were bursting with pride.
04:39It was a great responsibility taking care of so many ducklings.
04:43And it kept them very busy.
04:50One day Mr. Mallard decided he'd like to take a trip
04:54to see what the rest of the river was like further on.
04:57So off he set.
04:59I'll meet you in a week in the public garden, he quacked over his shoulder.
05:03Take good care of the ducklings.
05:05Don't you worry, said Mrs. Mallard.
05:08I know all about bringing up children, and she did.
05:14She taught them how to swim and dive.
05:22She taught them how to walk in a line, to come when they were called,
05:26and to keep a safe distance from bikes and scooters and other things with wheels.
05:34When at last she felt perfectly satisfied with them,
05:38she said one morning,
05:40Come along children, follow me.
05:42Before you could wink an eye,
05:44Jack, Cack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Quack, Pack and Quack
05:49fell into line, just as they had been taught.
05:52Mrs. Mallard led the way into the water
05:55and they swam behind her to the opposite bank.
06:02There they waded ashore and waddled along till they came to the highway.
06:11Mrs. Mallard stepped out to cross the road.
06:14Honk, honk, went the horns on the speeding cars.
06:18Quack, went Mrs. Mallard as she tumbled back again.
06:22Quack, quack, quack, quack,
06:25went Jack, Cack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Quack, Pack and Quack
06:29just as loud as their little quackers could quack.
06:32The cars kept speeding by and honking,
06:35and Mrs. Mallard and the ducklings kept right on quack, quack, quacking.
06:41They made such a noise that Michael came running,
06:47waving his arms and blowing his whistle.
06:53He planted himself in the center of the road,
06:56raised one hand to stop the traffic,
06:58and then beckoned with the other, the way policemen do,
07:01for Mrs. Mallard to cross over.
07:05As soon as Mrs. Mallard and the ducklings were safe on the other side,
07:11and on their way down Mount Vernon Street,
07:14Michael rushed back to his police booth.
07:20He called Clancy at headquarters and said,
07:23There's a family of ducks walking down the street.
07:26Clancy said, Family of what?
07:30Ducks! yelled Michael. Send a police car, quick!
07:37Meanwhile, Mrs. Mallard had reached the corner bookshop
07:41and turned into Charles Street,
07:43with Jack, Cack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Quack, Pack and Quack
07:47all marching in line behind her.
07:54Everyone stared.
07:56An old lady from Beacon Hill said,
07:59Isn't it amazing?
08:01And the man who swept the street said,
08:04Well now, isn't that nice?
08:07And when Mrs. Mallard heard them,
08:09she was so proud she tipped her nose in the air
08:12and walked along with an extra swing in her waddle.
08:19When they came to the corner of Beacon Street,
08:22there was the police car with four policemen
08:25that Clancy had sent from headquarters.
08:27The policemen held back the traffic
08:29so Mrs. Mallard and the ducklings
08:31could march across the street.
08:36Right on into the public garden.
08:43Inside the gate, they all turned round
08:45to say thank you to the policemen.
08:47The policemen smiled and waved goodbye.
08:51When they reached the pond
08:53and swam across to the little island,
08:55there was Mr. Mallard waiting for them
08:57just like he had promised.
09:03The ducklings liked the new island so much
09:06that they decided to live there.
09:08All day long, they follow the swan boats
09:11and eat peanuts.
09:16And when night falls,
09:18they swim to their little island
09:20and go to sleep.