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Reviewed by Carmen Tenorio for Readers' Favorite
Duke, written by Rita Mendoza and illustrated by Curtis Craighead, is a modern-day folktale about a well-mannered rabbit who insisted on having a complete table setting for his lunch. The problem is, by the time he finishes the setup, he's left with no more time to eat his meal! He then started to gradually remove some unnecessary items from the setting, till he got to the point where he wolfed down his food with nothing but a fork. He ended up being a mess and losing all his table manners. Duke was so enraged by this that he jumped on his meal and even smashed the watch to block out the alarm that kept interrupting him. After some consideration, Duke concluded that it would be better to return to his old table settings, eat at his own pace, and restore the manners he had abandoned. He was able to finish his meal and still had time for some chit-chat or a nap. Duke also decided to stop throwing tantrums because having manners and a cool head at all times is important.
Duke by Rita Mendoza is an effective tool not only to attract the young reader's attention but also to make the story memorable because children usually have a strong affinity with animals. This makes it easier for them to understand the behavior or trait that's being described. The story is a good way to teach children not only about the importance of manners but the ability to understand and control their feelings. The book has an uncomplicated storyline and uses both short and longer words in simple and compound sentences. Children will undoubtedly like and be entertained by illustrator Curtis Craighead's eye-catching and colorful graphics and creative formatting, as well as his wacky and exaggerated illustrations that depict how the animal characters dress up and behave in an office setting. Recommended as a read-along book for the younger easy reader level and a good choice for independent older readers.
