Duckie & Snaps: We Cannot Be Friends
by Ame Dyckman; illus. by Tim Miller
Preschool, Primary    Orchard/Scholastic    40 pp.
2/25    9781338837872    $14.99
e-book ed.  9781338837889    $14.99

An egg tumbles down a mountain and lands beside another egg. The jostling causes them both to hatch, one after the other. First out comes Duckie, wide-eyed, loquacious, and looking for a friend. Then there’s Snaps, a crocodile who’d just as soon beat it: “Well…Goodbye!” Duckie lays out a convincing case for staying to play, but just as Snaps seems ready to relent, an adult-looking croc comes by: “No. You cannot be friends” because “We. EAT. Duckies!” Snaps is confused: “I had no idea! I JUST GOT HERE!” After some hysterics on everyone’s part, a creative culinary solution leads to the promise of lasting friendship and appetite satisfaction (fun fact: crocodiles do eat fruit). Speech bubble–heavy text with thoughtful use of repetition enhances comprehension and enjoyment. Digitally colored pen-and-ink illustrations (a mix of scene-setting introductory spreads, varied panels, and single pages) feature crisp black lines, bold hues, and slapstick-y interactions between an unlikely duo—who, in terms of friendship, turn out to be very lucky ducks.

From the March/April 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.