I Love You Just Enough (The Hazel Ridge Farm Stories) - Hardcover

Frankenhuyzen, Robbyn Smith Van

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1585368393 ISBN 13: 9781585368396

Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press, 2014

Synopsis

While pulling weeds and planting seeds with her dad on Hazel Ridge Farm's prairie, Heather discovers a wood duckling alone in the grass. Worried for the duckling's safety, Heather asks her dad if she can care for him. "You have to keep him safe and warm and fed. You have to teach him how to be a duck--to swim, to hunt for bugs, and how to fly." Aptly named Mr. Peet for his chirping sound, the ducking accompanies Heather as she feeds the chickens, rabbits, and horses. They spend the summer swimming together in the pond, and Mr. Peet eventually masters how to fly. Heather becomes concerned when she hasn't seen Mr. Peet in 10 days. Her dad reassures her that the wood duck may have found his own place in nature. Heather is proud of her work and she knows Mr. Peet will be ok, because she loved him just enough.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Gr 1–3—When her bus drops her off to begin her summer vacation, Heather is overjoyed with the promise of new adventures. While helping her dad weed the garden, she discovers a baby duckling. She begs to adopt the little fluff ball, but her father warns her about the responsibilities of raising a wild animal, particularly the difficulty of letting the duck return to its natural habitat when the time comes. The title reflects his caution that Heather can love the bird but not too much. In a gentle, compassionate voice, the text details the work and joys of protecting and caring for a wild animal. The soft oil illustrations depict idyllic farm life and bucolic splendor, with changing artistic perspectives often focusing on small details made large. This book would be useful as a departure point for discussions about the animal life cycle, relationships among species, taking responsibility, and letting go.—Mary Hazelton, formerly at Warren & Waldoboro Elementary Schools, ME

About this edition

• Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1585368393
• ISBN 13: 9781585368396
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Frankenhuyzen Gijsbert Van