Well, I guess we are in the minority here. I read this book with my grandchildren. First, I need to mention that there is a pronunciation guide at the back of the book. I wish I had known and been better at reading this story. The kids thought it was cute that they were trying to get the duck back to the pond, but they didn't really engage with this story as much as I thought they would. It was fun and we talked about what was happening in the illustrations. We then went back after looking at the pronunciation guide and read it again, but they had lost interest by that point. It is a great story to teach about diversity and acceptance and might be a better fit with children all the same age, such as in a classroom. The illustrations were wonderful. I loved the expressions, the activities and the large, vibrant images. They add much to this story. I recommend this one to primary classrooms, especially those teaching about diversity.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I like the story of this book but it was a bit wordy for a picture book.

I can see what this book was trying to accomplish but frankly, it doesn't really work for me. Sure, we see all of the different kinds of people who cross paths in this neighborhood, how their different cultures influence their interactions and this neighborhood celebration and their eventual attempt to help the duck. As an adult, I can grasp these ideas but I doubt they will properly land with a child.

This was such a lovely book. Fantastic story and wonderfully illustrated! My children (4 and 6) both thoroughly enjoyed this title!

Thanks to Capstone + NetGalley for the advance review copy of "Hello, Mandarin Duck!" by Bao Phi.

Our family LOVES "A Different Pond" by Bao Phi as well as "My Footprints" so I was beyond excited to see that there is a new book for children by Bao Phi.

"Hello, Mandarin Duck" is a gorgeous and celebratory welcome in many different language and featuring a variety of cultures in a community's May Day Parade. This is one that belongs on all library shelves - community, school, and home libraries to be exact - and is the smile we all need in our lives right now.

Duck is lost and everyone he meets tries to help him find his way. everyone greets him in their own language. Eventually Duck is able to find his way but considers everyone who was kind to him along the way.

So cute! I love the message of inclusion and welcome in this book, echoed in the author's note. The children of this multicultural neighborhood meet a mandarin duck, different from any other duck they've met before. Each greeting him in their own way, they help him find a cozy home in the pond in their neighborhood. A glossary of their greetings with proper pronunciations is included.

Thank you to NetGalley and Capstone Editions for providing me with a copy of the book in return for my honest opinions.

Very cute and wholesome way to illustrate diversity, difference, common humanity and community. The duck is a nice focus to introduce all of the backgrounds of the kids living in this Minnesota neighborhood, The inclusion of the police as an unseen, menacing, unhelpful force just made me sad. Fun art and a mostly heartwarming story of welcome.

Such an effective way to introduce diversity to children! It's filled with cute illustration and soft colors, and it's very pleasing to read. It's filled with a heartwarming story about the beauty of an inclusive, diverse community that is easy to understand. It's a perfect way to teach children about the importance of being welcoming to others who are different from us.

Welcoming story of community that young kids will understand. They will enjoy the beautiful illustrations that accompany the text. Each animal portrays differences that help to create a richer sense of acceptance of all.

I received an electronic ARC from Capstone through NetGalley.
Charming story set in a multicultural neighborhood. Kids playing together find a duck who seems lost. They work together to help the duck get to the pond in the park. Phi captures the joy of kids playing together and problem solving to protect a small creature. The parade happening in the background offers the perfect scene to celebrate so many different people. The illustrations capture the cultures living in this community. This is a book that will grow with readers. It can be a simple story about meeting a duck and helping it get home through identifying so many languages to recognizing how important diverse communities are.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect going into this picture book, but it is a delight! An out of place mandarin duck meets some children on their way to a May Day parade (based on the one in Minneapolis, MN). All the children greet the duck in a different language as they get to know the it and try to guide it to water. I love all the languages and the illustrations are really so lovely. I think if I wanted to read this for story time, I would spend some time practicing all the languages. There are only 18 "welcomes" and many are phonetic. And as usual Bao Phi's author's note is lovely.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-arc to review.

This is a story centered in a presumably multi-cultural neighborhood, wherein a group of children are trying to help a lost duck return to a pond. The while the story is pretty cute in itself while introducing readers to a huge group of different groups. This is a great fit for localities with a true "melting pot" population, and would be a good introduction to other languages for smaller communities. I appreciate that there back matter that translates the phrases used throughout the book and shares which language they are from. The author's note actually made me like the book even more!

Cute book about a friendly neighborhood that showcases characters of different backgrounds and languages. Good way to introduce young readers to a diverse community. The parade was a nice touch and educational for those who may not live in a diverse neighborhood. Would have liked to see the duck do more to move plot forward. Still a fun story!

What a wonderful book! Not only does Bao Phi tell such an important story but the message couldn't be more relevant today. The story of the lost duck in search of his pond is certain to resonate with young readers who, perhaps themselves, are searching for a place to fit in. The different words of greeting are so important in pointing out those differences and, at the same time, conveying the similarities which the author does so well. What I found especially enlightening was the device the author used in discussing the varied greetings. The reader wasn't specifically told what the various words of greetings meant until the end but they knew just what the author intended. The Author's Note was especially meaningful.

This was a wonderful read. A new type of duck, a manderin duck is all alone away from the pond. Some kids are trying to help him find water and welcoming it to the community along the way. My favorite thing about this book is that the kids welcome the duck in a variety of languages. The words are not explained, or the cultures given (until the glossary at the end) but you know they are saying Hi and welcome. It was a lovely story with lovely illustrations and it expresses different cultures without trying too hard.

A “hello” book with plot! Finally!

“Hello, Mandarin Duck” is an adorable tale of a community whose children come together to help a new visitor—in this case a mandarin duck—find its place in their city. With bright illustrations and a predictable structure, this book is easy to imagine as an early primary read aloud.

I particularly like the natural way that different forms of greetings (both well-known and less-common) are incorporated into the story and the helpful pronunciation guide/glossary at the end.

I had a hard time pronouncing some of the words, but I am glad there was more than one language in this book, since it is not set in an English-speaking setting. The illustrations are really wonderful and I love the "scratch-style" used instead of just solid colors. The kids in this story are trying to help a lost Mandarin duck find the pond in the midst of a May Day parade.

This is a great introduction for kids to languages they may not hear in their everyday world. The art is colorful and playful, and the diversity of languages is a good educational beginning. The book includes a pronunciation and informational guide.

When Hao sees a duck in the park during the May day Parade, she wants to do the right thing. With the help of her friends and some foot tapping, heart stopping moments later, she takes the duck home. Not only does she learn about the duck habitat and behavior in the process, she also learns about different ways to say Hello and welcome- in many different languages.

A kid friendly book with all the lovely themes and actions that engages the young reader. The author has cleverly used the setting to allow children to take the initiative to frame the problem and find a solution. This is a great example of #Ownvoices. Teachers can use them in the classroom for lessons on #birds #celebrations, and own voices stories.