When a little red chick hatches from an egg in a duck's nest, his mother and siblings don't know just what to make of him. Soon aware of how different he is - he peeps when the duckling quack; he must stay on land, when the ducklings take off swimming - Little Red eventually hears a strange call in the distance, a "cock-a-doodle-doo" that speaks to him. Setting out to find the source of this call, he experiences many dangers in the meadow and forest, eventually finding his way to a farm, and a community of his fellows.

Chosen as a Newbery Honor Book in 1940 - the medal winner that year was Ingri and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire's Abraham Lincoln - this story of a chick out of his element has definite shades of The Ugly Duckling to it. It's nowhere near as engaging as Andersen's classic tale, but it has modest charm as an animal story I think, and will appeal to younger children who appreciate such fare. The artwork, which alternates between black and white and full color, has a sweet vintage charm. I'm not sure, all told, that I can see Cock-A-Doodle-Doo being chosen as an award winner today - there's nothing that really stands out to me, in either text or image - but it does have a quiet appeal, especially for fans of vintage picture-book art. ( )