The classic book, The Story about Ping, is a page turner, featuring a little yellow duck, who, in fear of receiving punishment, hides from it, only to meet something much more sinister. The theme of the book is a combination of “the grass isn’t always greener on the other side,” “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone,” and “there’s no place like home.” Ping, who is personified with human-like feelings, is late arriving to his family’s boat one afternoon. He knows that the last duck across the bridge receives a spank. Instead of taking the spank, he hides and awakes to a world much different from the one he previously knew. Ping encounters birds with rings around their necks, ensuring that they do not eat the fish they catch for their master; he is also caught by a family who wants to cook him for dinner, only to be set free by the family’s little boy. These scenarios all play in to the theme, as Ping did not encounter anything as dangerous as these in his previous life. The theme is fully enforced at the end of the book when Ping spots his family, is the last duck across the bridge, and happily receives the spank that he so readily avoided earlier. The theme and plot work hand in hand – the multiple themes come across as Ping finds himself in various situations.

The book is written in paragraph form and contains a lot of text; however, the wordiness of the book does not take away from the story, but rather adds to it. The text is essential in building suspense, and also to introducing the reader to the life of a duck in Asia. The illustrations appear to be beautiful colored pencil sketches, and the overlaying of colors makes for an appealing visage. The illustrations are also essential in helping the reader imagine life along an Asian river. The boats, people, and animals of this region have a distinct style that is not entirely known to all.

The work is effective in conveying multiple, yet related themes, and can find use as teaching tool or as an entertaining read. This book is an essential purchase for all libraries, as it is a classic that holds a strong message.