Mr. McCloskey's Marvelous Mallards: The Making of Make Way for Ducklings in Bloomington, MN

This behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the classic and beloved picture book
Make Way for Ducklings
will captivate young artists, writers, readers, and animal lovers alike.
While writing and illustrating the beloved picture book
, Robert McCloskey brings a flock of ducklings into his tiny New York City apartment. But an artist + a bunch of ducklings in his apartment = chaos! There are ducklings in the bathtub and ducklings in the kitchen, quacking at dawn and sitting on his desk. Can he learn to draw them just right before they grow too big?
This glimpse into the creation of a much-loved story for kids is a must-read for fans of children’s books, or for anyone who is interested in the creative process and the importance of persistence.
“Emma Smith has done a bang-up job imagining how my father wrote
. I enjoyed reading her book.” —
Jane McCloskey, daughter of Robert McCloskey and author of
Robert McCloskey: A Private Life in Words and Pictures
“A wonderfully rollicking rendition of the story behind the story.” —
Gary D. Schmidt, Newbery Honor-winning author of books for children and author of
Robert McCloskey