One Cool Duck #1 King of Cool

What's cool, anyway? Skateboards, pizza, arcade games—and being kind! This buoyant young graphic chapter book introduces Duck and pals, kicking off a series that makes real-life friendship issues fun.

Duck is feeling pretty good about himself. He can flip on a skateboard, and he’s a great friend, too. Then Cat comes along and seems so cool, with his high scores on video games—but Cat also does some mean stuff nobody likes! Then Cat gets caught up a tree and needs help. In three short chapters, perfect for readers just gaining confidence, Duck and his pals show Cat that being cool includes helping others and not dissing your friends. Each character has a distinct way of speaking, and readers will love learning how to read and pronounce entertaining slang expression from the fifties and other "cool" eras.

Hippo Park graphic chapter books are ideal for beginning and newly independent readers, with approachable page counts, easy-to-follow paneling, and artwork that supports text comprehension.

Mike Petrik is an animator by day and an illustrator of books, magazines, and wonderfully scary doodles by night. The author of The Silly Sounds of Halloween (Harper, July 2021) and The Silly Sounds of Christmas (Harper, September 2022) he is new on the scene and is an exciting new talent. He lives with his wife and three children in Oak Lawn, IL.