Birding, Reviews

BE STRONG: THE RISE OF BELOVED PUBLIC ART SCULPTOR NANCY SCHÖN: A KidLit Bird Book Review

October 8, 2024 by Susan Wroble No Comments

Brick walkway with statues of a mother duck and ducklings. Portion of cover art showing some of sculptor Nancy Schön's "Make Way for Ducklings" sculptures from the book BE STRONG: THE RISE OF BELOVED PUBLIC ART SCULPTOR NANCY SCHÖN.

One of the world’s most well-known bird sculptures delights the public in both Boston and Moscow. It’s Nancy’s Schön’s “Make Way for Ducklings” series of sculptures, based on the 1941 book by Robert McCloskey. While much has been written about Robert McCloskey, the woman who created these nine iconic sculptures remained relatively unknown. Award-winning children’s author and publisher Darcy Pattison set out to change that. The result is her newly released picture book Be Strong: The Rise of Beloved Public Art Sculptor Nancy Schön.

Cover art showing sculptor Nancy Schön, an older woman with white hair, leaning on the letter "N" in the book title BE STRONG: THE RISE OF BELOVED PUBLIC ART SCULPTOR NANCY SCHÖN. A mother duck and her eight ducklings walk along a brick pathway under the title

Darcy and illustrator Rich Davis draw in readers instantly: “The first time Nancy Quint heard the word “sculpture” was at her cousin’s Halloween party.” Guests were asked to chew a piece of gum, and then make something out of it! Nancy created a miniature teacup and saucer—and won first place!

Although Nancy had loved sculpture since that tiny teacup, she fell in love with large public art pieces later in life. The ducklings statues were her first public art commission. She struggled with the challenges of making each of the nine ducks (Mrs. Mallard and babies Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack and Quack) unique, anatomically correct and something that a child would fall in love with.

A woman working on the models for three duckling sculptures. She pulls up duckling Pack's to create more action, tilts Ouack's head back a bit more, and wonders what might cause a child to fall in love with the sculpture of Quack.

An artist in a nearby studio space found Nancy tired and discouraged, and returned with a piece of paper with just two words: BE STRONG! That simple gift was enough to give Nancy the encouragement she needed. That reminder to “be strong” kept Nancy going through hard days and hard years. A “Be Strong” sign still hangs in her studio, and—at age 96—she is still making public art.

In his illustrations for this book, artist Rich Davis used a technique that combines painting with cut construction paper. For his spread of installation day of the ducklings statues, he painted the background, cut figures out of construction paper, painted them, and then glued them on to the background art. The result is illustrations that invite readers in with depth and a vibrancy of color.

In the rain, a row of happy children sit on, hug and pet the newly installed "Make Way for Ducklings" sculpture in Boston Public Garden, while parents watch from under their umbrellas.

The book’s backmatter includes photos of Nancy as she was working on the ducklings sculptures, a biography, and a listing (to date) of Nancy’s public art sculptures. Her most recent installation, in September 2014, celebrates the journey of immigrants.

The backmatter also includes the story of how copies of the sculpture ended up in Moscow. First Lady of the United States Barbara Bush was hosting Russian First Lady Raisa Gorbachev, and the two passed Nancy’s sculptures in the Boston Public Gardens. When Raisa expressed an appreciation for the pieces, the White House worked with Nancy to provide a duplicate set to give as a gift. Just as they do in Boston, Nancy’s ducklings enchant children near a pond Novodevichy Park, along a bend in the Moskva River just southwest of central Moscow. Just across the pond is Novodevichy Convent, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In Be Strong: The Rise of Beloved Public Art Sculptor Nancy Schön, author Darcy Pattison has brought to light the work of a another of history’s hidden figures—a woman whose sculptures are known worldwide, but whose name is not. Her book belongs in schools, homes and libraries. Of note, this book is a natural fit for art teachers, and also for those working to teach children to learn resilience in the face of challenges. And, of course, for those of us who love kids and birds! Five Stars from Susan.

Backmatter in BE STRONG: THE RISE OF BELOVED PUBLIC ART SCULPTOR NANCY SCHÖN includes photos of her working on the ducklings. Her “Be Strong” sign can be seen in the background.

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Be Strong: The Rise of Beloved Public Art Sculptor Nancy Schön by Darcy Pattison, illustrated by Rich Davis

Mims House, 2024

ISBN: 978-1-62933-237-2

$26.99 (Hardcover); $11.99 (Paperback)

32 pages, 6-10 years

Written by Susan Wroble

Susan Wroble has always paid attention to the birds around her, perhaps in part because Burd is her middle name! She is always happiest when outside gardening and listening to birdsong. Coming from a family with a strong commitment to service, Susan started volunteering after college with two years in the Peace Corps in the Independent State of Western Samoa, where she taught high school math and science. Currently, she volunteers as leader of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Society for Children’s Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and at the Colorado Children’s Hospital. She also leads a long-term Denver-area support group for parents of Twice-Exceptional Children.Susan’s degrees are in electrical engineering and foreign affairs, but her great love is children’s books. She writes nonfiction, and tends to focus on stories that share a message of hope in this era of climate change. She has written four children’s books for the school library market. Her book DAWN CHORUS: PROTECTING BIRDSONG AROUND THE WORLD is scheduled for publication with Holiday House in 2026.