The Duck and the Darklings    by Glenda Millard & Stephen Michael King Order:  USA  Can Allen & Unwin, 2015 (2015) Hardcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Bob Walch Peterboy lives in a post-apocalyptic world with his grandfather. The old man remembers the previous world where everything was bright and beautiful. Of course Peterboy and the other darkling children have no such memories. Keeping his memories of the past alive is a hard task, but Peterboy's grandfather tries hard to do so. Then one day the child finds a poor little duck badly in need of a home and care. He takes the creature home and his grandfather begrudgingly agrees they can nurse it back to health. As the duck returns to health it brings a new and positive attitude to Peterboy's home. The transformation is chronicled in this unusual picture book which begins on a rather dark note but ends well. Is this for all children? I rather doubt it but there are some youngsters, five and older, who will find this tale interesting and with some guidance from mom or dad, they will grasp the situation and how it improves with the addition of the duckling. A tale of darkness that, thanks to friendship and caring characters, becomes one of transformation and hope, The Duck and the Darklings is a very creative, poignant story that will appeal to some but not all young readers. If your child is easily bored with the usual picture books he or she is given, this might be a good one to try. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews