Ducks Quack

Maris's clear colors and clean compositions give these board books toddler appeal. Animals parade through each: in Ducks , farmyard denizens make their characteristic noises; in Frogs , sparrows hop, butterflies flutter, etc. For the older readers who presumably will shepherd the intended audience through these pages, however, Maris throws in something extra. In the backgrounds of the Ducks spreads, a goat methodically eats its way through a scarecrow, while the ``subplot'' in Frogs concerns a dog stalking a gloating cat. The final spreads convene all animals, with the texts identifying them in terms of their respective sounds or movements. Ages 6 mos.-18 mos. (Sept.)