Ducks Ducks

1998
Written and illustrated by Theodocia Swecker
Published by Ducks Pub.
Ages 0-6 years
Buy it now for $14.95 plus tax and shipping

The days are cold. Winter is coming fast to the Nevada Mountains. The white ducks need a warm spot to sleep --- so does the old mountain lion. Like children who want to snuggle with their moms, the ducks find a purrrfect spot to sleep. And the old mountain lion gains something he never had before.

There’s more magic beyond the words. Find the hidden stars and other secrets too. There are surprises in each illustration.

The Story of the Stars

I was painting for Ducks Ducks when the stars appeared on the paper. I spread water across the top of my paper to paint Aspen leaves. I added touches of red, orange, green, and yellow. I watched the colors swirl into leaf patterns. When my eyes caught up with my brush and I saw the small white star between my strokes. “Hmmmm, that’s odd.” I kept painting. I noticed another. “What are you doing here?”

They didn’t answer.

During this time, our dog Doc, a white German Shorthair, got sick. I was in the kitchen doing the morning dishes when I looked behind me to see how he was. With his big golden eyes he held my attention. “What is it?”

He came to me, falling into my arms in a giant seizure. My husband, Steve, and I rushed Doc to the vets.

Lifting him onto the examination table, I glanced at a paw where the white fur grew between his pads and noticed the shape of a perfect white star.

“Ahhh, the stars are for Doc.”

The next day we checked on Doc periodically as he lay on his blanket. That night his breathing changed. Steve and I held him as we said our good-byes.

We went outside to grieve. I searched the sky for a star. There were none. The sky was completely over cast. I sat thinking about Doc and the stars when all of a sudden I got Doc’s message. Even though we can’t see the stars, they are there. Just like Doc. Ever though we can’t see him he is with us.

Creativity is a doorway for magic.