Bear and Duck are best friends, but they are very different. Duck likes to try new things, and Bear ... well, Bear likes not to.

When Duck needs a friend for her dance class, Bear reluctantly agrees. Bear’s big size causes problems at first, but he soon discovers that he might just be a very good dancer.

Bear and Duck is a story about friendship, confidence, and overcoming the fear of trying new things.

• A 2024 CBCA Early Childhood Book of the Year: Notable Book

About the Author

Sue deGennaro is a best-selling author and illustrator. She has worked with top calibre authors such as Ursula Dubosarsky and Jackie French, as well as writing and illustrating many of her own critically acclaimed titles, including The Pros and Cons of Being a Frog, which was shortlisted for the CBCA Early Childhood Book of the Year in 2013. The Tomorrow Book, written by Jackie French and illustrated by Sue deGennaro, won The Environment Award for Children's Literature in 2011.

Sue's illustrations are lively and fun - often imbued with humour, but also a wonderful softness. She spent years working as a trapeze artist in the circus, plus a stint in a lolly shop, so she knows all about what kids like. She's held many highly successful workshops with school children through Booked Out, and also teaches writing and illustration to adults.