Talk to the Animals!

This is a soft-bound, thirty-four page children’s book.  The author writes this tale as a true account of an incident that occurred when his family went away together in 1994.  Not only does Mr. Hickey state it was the best camping trip ever, he also had a most extraordinary thing happen:  he could talk to three ducks, and they could talk to him!

As the story unfolds that the author wasn’t feeling well, so his family left him at the campground to recover.  Later, the ducks wander into the camp.  The author talks with them, and then plays a life-changing–for the ducks–game of horseshoes with the duck father.   Afterwards, Mr. Hickey chalks the experience up to a product of his fever-induced mind.  That is, until he is leaving, and evidence mounts that all of it really happened.

Mr. Hickey has a great imagination; it was very easy to get pulled into this story, and the world the author is describing.  Along with the book, I received a CD which is a recording of the author reading the story.  He does a marvelous job, doing all the voices of the different characters.  I listened to it while reading the book–which the author suggests doing–and it was an enchanting experience!  In addition, the author wrote the music on the CD, and his wife, Karen Kiser, did the book’s pastels and wood carvings.

I enjoyed this story, and believe grade school children in first-grade and up would like it, too.  But I think listening to the CD while reading the book really makes the experience, so highly recommend doing that.  I suggest you give this 5-star book and CD a try.

I’d like to thank the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book and CD for the purpose of review.  All opinions expressed are my own, and I was not required, or influenced, to give anything but an honest review.

Author’s Website:  http://jeffreyhickey.com/

Author’s Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/BignBooatDerZoo