When Mama Duck decides to take her brood of five ducklings for a walk through town, all goes well until she walks easily over a storm sewer grate. One by one, her ducklings following along behind fall through the openings. Luckily there's a witness who calls for help, but the fire department can't lift the grate. A bystander with a truck is finally able to attach a cable and pull it off, which allows a fire fighter to rescue the ducklings one by one. Based on a true story, Eva Moore's patterned text takes full advantage of the drama of the page turn, and she expertly uses the repetition of the ducklings' names-Pippen, Bippen, Tippen, Dippin, and Little Joe-to focus the attention of young listeners. Realistic illustrations offer a range of visual perspectives, including vertical panels showing each duckling's fall through the grate. (Ages 2-5)