Gracie The Public Gardens Duck

Gracie lives under the azalea bushes in the Halifax Public Gardens. She has a happy, lazy life until one day new signs appear in all four corners of the gardens. She doesn’t understand all the words on the signs, but she gets the last few which clearly say Please Don’t Feed the Ducks! Gracie is appalled. The popcorn, the muffins, the peanut butter sandwiches. It can’t be over! But it is. The free food is no more. 

However, Gracie is a resourceful duck and she develops A Plan. And while her plan is successful, life does NOT return to normal. This is the story of a very special duck coming to terms with a new reality.  

Gracie The Public Gardens Duck is in its second printing. and was on Nova Scotia's best seller list for two years.  

Gracie is listed as a recommended read on the  Lab of Ornithology at Cornell University. https://celebrateurbanbirds.org/resources/recommended-books-and-articles/

Reviews:
"Gracie, The Public Gardens Duck, a children's book about a duck that lives in the Halifax Public Gardens, earned a best published book nomination for writer Judith Meyrick and a best illustration nomination for Richard Rudnicki in the 2008 Atlantic Book Awards." CBC News online, April 16, 2008. Note: Gracie won the award in both categories.

"Gracie the Public Gardens Duck meets all my criteria for collectible picture books for Canadian schools; is well written and illustrated, mentions a Canadian place name, will be enjoyed by all children, and can be used as a part of a number of different thematic teaching units. Definitely worth having in your school or classroom." Canadian Teacher Magazine

Available in Canada from Nimbus Publishing and Amazon.ca
https://www.amazon.ca/Gracie-Public-Gardens-Duck-pb/dp/1551096455

Available in the US from Orca Book Publishing (US)
http://us.orcabook.com/Gracie-the-Public-Gardens-Duck-P4426.aspx