Duck, Death and the Tulip by Wolf Erlbruch

Following Jack's quirky selection from last week, I present to you the very quirky Duck, Death and the Tulip, by Wolf Erlbruch.

This book tackles a profound topic: death (especially bold for a picture book!).  It is the story of Duck's friendship with Death, a companion he's only recently discovered.  What transpires is a series of conversations about life, death, mourning, and loss.

The illustrations work particularly well with the subject matter.  Death as a smiling, walking skull is both friendly and creepy.  The spareness of the pages reflects the starkness of the reality: Death comes to us all, it is part of Life.




When we first acquired Death, Duck and the Tulip, it elicited a lot of discussion among staff members.  Some found it frightening, some found it comforting, many didn't know quite what to make of it.  Whatever your reaction, it's bound to be a conversation starter.

Duck, Death and the Tulip, by Wolf Erlbruch can be found in our J/PIC section ("Picture Books for Sophisticated Readers").  Give it a look and let us know what you think of it.