Review - Duck on a Tractor

Duck on a Tractor
by David Shannon
Date: 2016
Publisher: The Blue Sky Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

David Shannon's wildly popular, award-winning Duck on a Bike left children begging him to tell them another story about Duck after seeing him pictured alongside a shiny red tractor. Now Duck is back and turning the farm upside down!

Flushed with the success of his trailblazing bike ride around the farm, Duck decides he's ready to drive the tractor. As in the bestselling Duck on a Bike, all the barnyard animals share their humorous comments as they watch Duck do the unthinkable. Then, one by one, they join him on the tractor for a ride!

But what happens when Duck drives the big red tractor through town, past the popular diner where all the locals are having lunch? What will those folks really think when they see Duck and all the other animals riding around on Farmer O'Dell's tractor? Filled with entertaining detail and sly jokes, readers will pore over each picture again and again. Perfect for reading aloud!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this one. I read another of David Shannon's picture books back in 2018, and pretty much hated it. The pictures creeped me out. Luckily, this book isn't about the demon child named David, but about a duck who, having mastered riding a bicycle, tries his hand at driving a tractor and takes all his barnyard friends along for the ride.

This is apparently the sequel to Duck on a Bike, which I haven't read (although I kind of want to now). The premises of these books are just silly enough to work, and I can see why they appeal to kids. I thought it got a little tiresome by the time we got to town and heard all the thoughts of the people in the diner, but if you don't mind repetition, you might like this a bit more than I did.

The illustrations are detailed and fun, and all the characters are well defined. I wonder what shenanigans Duck will find himself caught up in next...

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.5 out of 5