The Duck Can’t Sleep
by E. B. White
foreword by Martha White
art by Melissa Sweet
Quill Tree Books, 2026. 44 pages.
Review written October 5, 2026, from a library book.
Starred Review
This little picture book is published for children, and I think children will like it, but in many ways its true audience is thoughtful adults who have ever experienced insomnia.
The text of the book is a poem that E. B. White published in The New Yorker when he was a young writer living in the city. His granddaughter writes in the foreword that he often went for a walk around the Central Park reservoir when he had something to think through.
This book tells about one of those strolls that happened at midnight – when he also found a duck awake and swimming around.
He has fun thinking about why the duck is up and about so late.
I wondered if he’d left his kind
Because of something on his mind.
A midnight sail to clear his vision
And help him reach some duck decision.
Eventually, he concludes that the duck simply can’t sleep. But the fun is in getting there.
And the illustrations by Melissa Sweet are what make this book pop. She’s poured love into them (see her picture book biography of E. B. White, Some Writer!), and each page is a beautiful work of art. The poem is simple and basically in a single setting, but she puts different angles and backgrounds on each page. I like the way you can tell it’s happening at night, but the subjects (duck and man) are lit up.
Will kids love it as much as I do? Try it out on your kids and tell me in the comments!
Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Picture_Books/duck_cant_sleep.html
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Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.
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