Duck, Death and the Tulip

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Erlbruch (probably best known as the illustrator of The Story of the Little Mole Who Knew It Was None of His Business) is a much-venerated figure in Germany; his subjects emerge from the uncosy side of childhood, a place populated by edgy creatures and uncomfortable themes.

Yes, he comes out of the shadows and shares experiences, but I am not sure that we can say he is overcoming some sort of fear by spending time with Duck. Her skill is often to speak for Duck whilst operating another puppet or setting the tree, which she does so well. Her second novel, Golden Deeds, was chosen by Time Out magazine asa book of the year, and was a 2002 Best Book in the La Times Book Review and a 2002 Notable Book in the New York Times Book Review. Throughout the story, the pictures and words effectively work together through the words and pictures complimenting each other. This extraordinary book, available in English thanks to New Zealand-based Gecko Press, is about death.In the end, the duck indeed dies, and Death carries her to a river, placing the duck gently in the water and laying the tulip on her: "For a long time he watched her. In continuation, I believe the illustrations affect reception because the simplistic contrasting images could have various interpretations and it is up to the person reading the content on how they would like to interpret each picture. Some ducks say that deep in the earth there’s a place where you’ll be roasted if you haven’t been good. But as I read it under normal circumstances it really does give you the creeps and I would not recommend for very young children. Both poems, “Death of a Young Son by Drowning” by Margaret Atwood and “Because I could Not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson share a common subject of death.

In the jury citation he was described as `one of the great innovators and experimenters of contemporary children’s book illustration. As the river spills off the book and we turn to the last page, we see Death surrounded by other animals — a subtle reminder that he will escort the fox and the rabbit and you and me down the river of life, just as he did Duck. Stroking her disheveled feathers back into a temporary perfection, Death picks Duck up and carries her tenderly to the river, then lays her on the water and releases her into its unstoppable flow, watching wistfully as she floats away.In “On Natural Death,” Thomas appeals to the readers by contemplating the subject of death with an academic approach that includes facts, data, and information. One of the very few touches of colour is the purple tulip which Death carries behind him at the beginning and uses at the end to gently send Duck on her way. With great economy of words and minimalist yet enormously expressive illustrations, Erlbruch conveys the quiet ease that develops between the two as they relax into an unlikely camaraderie. They go diving together and sit in a tree, pondering what would happen to the duck's lake after her death. In “Dying,” Pinsky describes how people are oblivious and almost uncaring when it comes to the thought of death.

The flow of the story is gentle and intriguing, and the New Entrant audience that filled Downstage the day I saw it was utterly entranced. The book was nominated for the 2008 Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis; the jury praised Erlbruch's "soft-philosophical Pas de deux" and his sparse illustrations: "the radical reduction of the images underlines the dramatic subject matter in a fulminant manner. Parents who choose to discuss death with their young children may feel this odd import is an excellent discussion starter (if they don't find it peculiar and macabre). TKSST is an unprecedented collection of 6,000+ kid-friendly videos, curated for teachers and parents who want to share smarter, more meaningful media in the classroom and at home. Death joins Duck in the pond, where he get a taste of his own medicine, so to speak: ‘`Are you cold?

In the masterpiece a difficult theme is made accessible for children in an idiosyncratic manner with a touch of humor. On the opposite page, stands death as a figure (which our eyes our instantly drawn to) which simply answers the duck’s enquiry as to who they are as, ‘I am death’. Touched but undeterred, Death waits patiently until one day Duck succumbs, whereupon he launches her (and the titular tulip) out upon the “great river. Death keeps his own council on that speculation) – and the metaphysics of being/not being: but when the cool wind of autumn ruffles her feathers, Duck know her time is up.

The problem with this for me is that it finalizes death and makes it a loss of everything that you love or enjoy.As she stops breathing Death stokes her feathers, and gently lays her on the water and helps her drift away.