Quack Quack, Take Two Steps Back

Hello, my name's Matt Buckingham and I'm an author and illustrator and I'm going to read you my book which is called 'Quack Quack Take Two Steps Back' for the Canal & River Trust.

Squirrel and mouse play catch in the wood. A nut is their ball and it's perfectly good. It's shiny and round and great to throw. But all the trees make the game a bit slow. Away in the distance Squirrel sees a new place, a beautiful spot with much more space. By the canal they continue to play away from the bank but their nut goes astray. Squirrel goes over to see where it's landed. When a voice calls out "Step back !" it commanded. Duck had been taking a rest near the hedge. "Be careful," he says, "stay away from the edge." The canal is cold and deep, quack quack. Please hold hands, take two steps back.

Duck waddles across and reaches out with his beak. "Your neck is too short," says Mouse with a squeak. Gliding along, Swan swims into view, seeing the nut, she pokes her head right through. With her long, slender neck, she grabs it with ease. But the grass tickles her nose, making her sneeze, a -choo! The two little friends watch on in surprise, as their ball shoots away, flying Going back through the skies, Mouse moves forward with a stretched -out limb.

"No !" yells Duck, "You might fall in !" After a while, the nut comes to rest, safely nestled with the twigs on Coot's nest. Coot spots the nut, shining bright in the moss. "What a strange egg !" she says looking cross. She grabs it and throws it away in a strop. As the friends on the bank hear it fall with a clop, "That's our very best ball !" cries Squirrel in grief. But then something happened to their disbelief. Up from the water, hops fish's wet head. "I think he's got it," the little mouse said. The friends are excited and start leaping forward. Take two steps back, the clever duck ordered, with a hoof and a grumble, clearly in a mood. Fish is not happy, this nut's not his food. With a swish of his tail, he knocks the nut with a thud.

And it falls back down, landing squouch in the mud. But here comes Heron with legs long and tall. Don't worry everyone, I'll get your ball. With an elegant stride, mud up to one knee. He grabs the nut firmly, but it won't come free. He pulls it and tugs it with all of his might. Then all of a sudden, the nut takes flight. Over the water, above the reeds, high in the skies and into the trees. Hitting a branch, it startles Crow. The surprised little mouse looks up from below. Bouncing back down, where on earth will it land? Would you believe it? Right there in his hand. Hooray!

The water side is fun to go, but there are things you need to know. Let's stay safe and not be silly. The water here is very chilly. Find your grown-up, hold their hand. Two steps back is where you stand. Look out for bugs and ducks that quack. But always do it two steps back. And the Canal & River Trust have got a water safety song to help you remember to keep safe by the water. And it goes like this.

Hold hands, take two steps back. Hold hands, take two steps back. Hold hands, take two steps back. Let's stay safe together.