Duck, Death and the Tulip

A courageous, heart-warming book about death that has become a cornerstone of the Gecko Press catalogue worldwide In a strangely heart-warming and beautifully illustrated story, a duck strikes up an unlikely friendship with Death. Duck, Death and the Tulip will intrigue, haunt, and enchant readers of all ages. Simple, warm, and witty, this book deals with a difficult subject in a way that is elegant and life-affirming.

“"When Duck finally notices that she is being followed by Death, she becomes frightened and inquisitive. Death patiently answers her questions, and the two speculate about the great beyond. What follows is the construct of a unique sort of friendship. However, this is not a book about friendship; it is a book about life's most pitiless inevitability. Eventually Duck feels the chill of a cool wind for the first time and, lying quite still, stops breathing. Death tenderly strokes her feathers, carries her to the great river, and gently sends her on her way. This book tackles a difficult subject with eloquent, yet unapologetic candor. The subject matter may frighten small children, and adults likely will take pause at the bluntness, but the story is heartwarming and incontrovertibly portrays Death with a compassionate personification. The surrealistic yet modest synthesis of collage and drawings is true to the simple elegance and poignancy of the text." --School Library Journal”

"The most extraordinary picture book I’ve seen in many a year. A duck becomes friends with Death, and it’s the most natural thing in the world. Trust me, adults get far more weirded out by this book than children ever do. Amazing." -- Patrick Ness, Time Out London
"The gold standard of picture books about death is “Duck, Death and the Tulip….” It’s hard to describe how this extraordinarily tender book manages to be both heartbreaking and comforting, but it does." -- New York Times (US)
"The most moving book I’ve read this year is the German picture book Duck, Death and The Tulip by Wolf Erlbruch, about the strange, uneasy friendship." -- Meg Rosoff, The Financial Times US)

Duck, Death and the Tulip by Wolf Erlbruch is a superb picture book from Germany, that tells a gentle story of the relationship between Death and a duck. Death is portrayed as a sympathetic figure in a dressing gown who is with us all the time, but who only comes into Duck’s consciousness towards the end of his life. It is warm, poignant and witty.

The German children's book author and illustrator Wolf Erlbruch offers a wonderfully warm and assuring answer in Duck, Death and the Tulip - a marvelous addition to the handful of intelligent and imaginative children's books about death and loss. 

"a deft look at mortality."

Wolf Erlbruch is a celebrated and original German author and illustrator. Winner of the 2006 Hans Christian Andersen Medal for Illustration, he has received many other awards. Erlbruch is recognised for his witty and winsome stories and his sophisticated synthesis of collage and drawing.

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