Duck for Luck
Aussie Angels 14

Margaret Clark

A Mark Macleod Book
Hodder Headline 2001

134p., pbk. $11.95

0733613837 

 

 "Duck for Luck" is a story about a family that lives in the country and helps animals that are hurt or are just lost. They call themselves "Aussie Angels." 

One day a duck comes along with its ducklings, and Mark (one of the boys) thinks that the duck has come here because it's shooting season and he and his ducklings don't want to be shot. The three children think that this duck will give them all good luck.   

From the beginning you don't really get hooked in, but after the first few chapters you do. There is really good imagery and I could see and hear what the author is trying to create. Its very hard to put the book down once you have got into it. It is well worth getting into trouble for reading it under the covers with a torch. The characters are very credible: you feel like you're eavesdropping on their conversations. The relationships between the characters are very realistic and you would care what would happen to them in the end. 

This wouldn't be a read aloud book. It would be a read alone book because you probably couldn't follow the story if you read it aloud. The style and the size of the print is just right and the words that the author uses create images in your mind.

I would like to receive this book as a gift or to give to someone. I would recommend this story to other students around 10 and up. It would be one I would keep for my children, and one I would spend my pocket money on. I am very glad I read this book and I think other people should read this because they would enjoy it a lot.

By Kristen 11 , Belmont, Vic
Mark, Meg and Mike are a group of children who like exploring the world of ducks. Mark and Dad like making funny remarks over serious things. The family owns an animal reserve and they rescue animals that are endangered. They own a cocky called Eddy that never shuts up and a dog called Boris who like to relate to Eddy.

In this book, Margaret Clark has taken bits and pieces of true information and imaginary things and out them together to create an interesting storyline. The plot makes us aware of the hunting season and that it is illegal to shoot ducks because some ducks are becoming extinct. The book also explores the fines and penalties if you are caught shooting ducks.

It is a good book to read out loud or keep to yourself. It is action-packed and full of surprises. I would recommend it for older readers from Year 5 and up. The reasons for this are because the duck names and tongue-twister words might be tricky for little kids. Duck for Luck relates to real life situations.  I would rate this book 10 out of 10 because it doesn't brag on about nothing and it gets to the climax straight away.

Alex, 11, Luddenham, NSW

Three kids and a mum see a duck that takes them to its family. They take the family of ducks home with them and keep them. The main theme is about caring for the duck family, other ducks and trying to protect them from hunters.

After the first couple of chapters, I could put the book down if I had to, but by choice, I wouldn’t want to. I really got involved in the story and just wanted to finish it. I actually didn’t like the ending though. It just stopped abruptly and it made me wonder what happened.

Even though I would have written a different ending, I would still like to read the other Aussie Angels books. I like reading series books so I am glad that I have another series to read now. Now that I have read one book, I feel like I know the kids a bit, but not really. I want to find out more about the animals that they look after.

I liked the big print because it made it a lot easier to read.

I would rate this book seven and a half out of ten.

Bob aged 12  Bilgola

The new main characters include 8 new ducks (2 adults and 6 babies) called Donald, Daisy, Hewey, Dewey, Louie, Gooey, Pooey and Screwy.  The ducks decide that they want to live in the Angels wading pool!  This is because Greash and Foxie, the two bullies, claim they are going to shoot all the ducks around the swamp.  When the Angels do some research on ducks it leads to a school duck finding competition but when the Angels turn up at the swamp Greash and Foxie are there ……with guns.  There is also a big fight at school where some unfair punishments are dealt out.

This book is an adventure book with a few good laughs (especially where Eddie is concerned).  The fourteenth Aussie Angels book was not as interesting as some of the others that I have read.  Possibly the most exciting part was when Greash and Foxie where shooting at the Angels.  The ducks were funny as well.  This book, though fiction, helps you learn a great deal about ducks.  A Duck for Luck would be a good book for people who like ducks or like a little humour but otherwise it was a little dull in places.  I would recommend this book for people aged between nine and twelve.

Jesse, aged 13, Canberra, ACT