52nd Review- I want to fly!- Gary Clark

I trust there is nobody who – like Ding Duck – has had 5,000 flying lessons and still cannot fly! This endearing book is about a sweet little duck who, despite all the necessary materials being available to him: a tower, a flight instructor, a beautiful runway, and despite his very best efforts, he just cannot seem to master the art of flying. The rest of the cast comprises various ducks (and two lost rats) who take on the roles of Air Traffic Controller, The Flight Instructor, ‘Army Duck’, and so on. And all this against the backdrop of a boggy swamp.

Simple, but author Gary Clark easily manages to fill 160 pages with duck cartoons which he has created these last years. They are all about Ding Duck and his family and friends, who, to Ding Duck’s great frustration, can all fly. It’s delightfully amusing and written in caricature English.

The cartoons are all set in an aviation which is recognizable and familiar to us: the ducks come into contact with both military and civil aviation, space travel, use RT and experience weather of all sorts during their flights. Some of the ‘stories’ consist of a single drawing, and are therefore technically cartoons, and others comprise several drawings. Simple. Direct. Funny. And delightful drawings which are true eye candy and slip down as easily as cream down a cat’s throat.

Nothing more to write. Books of this kind should just been seen. I absolutely love the ‘L’ plate hanging round Ding Duck’s neck. Ah, sad to laugh at the poor wee, thing, but it is so funny.

Job well done, Gary Clark! Am curious as to the adventures which might befall our little friend Ding Duck, when he finally gets his pilot’s license!