I say I can. I make a plan. I get right to it. And then I do it! -The Can Do Duck
I say I can. I make a plan. I get right to it. And then I do it! -The Can Do Duck
February and March 2015 - New York City - CAN DO DUCK: THE MUSICAL was performed to sell out audiences in its hugely successful OFF BROADWAY run at the Lynn Redgrave Theater. The show received RAVE reviews in The New York Times, the Courier Post, Hooplaha.com, and websites from New York to New Jersey!
September 20, 2013 - Rochester, NY WHAM-TV featured a story on Can Do Duck Kindergartners and their teacher, Susan Northrup, who read the Can Do Duck and created cards for the people of Colorado who were affected by storms and flooding.
May 2013 - Can Do Duck: The Musical was performed at NYU to sold out audiences of members of NYU and families in downtown Manhattan.
December 2012 - The Can Do Duck Musical was performed at New York University and won a Theatre for Young Audiences Award.
May 8, 2012 - The Can Do Duck Musical was performed in New York City. This brand new play is a work in progress on its way to Broadway.
December 28, 2008 - Georgetown Times (South Carolina) - Limousine rides motivate kids to learn to read - Celebrities, sports, designer and name brand clothes, expensive sneakers and video games are cool to most children. Reading is apparently not cool. South Carolina having the third highest adult illiteracy rate in the country seems to bear witness. But, what if celebrities said reading is cool and fun? What if limousine rides were used as an incentive? Would reading then become cool? The answer is yes,
the innovative non-profit Limousines for Learning is finding out through their success over five years. During the past year, 15,600 third- and fourth-graders representing 69 elementary schools in seven counties participated in the Limos for Learning motivational program, including five elementary schools in Georgetown County: Andrews, McDonald's, Sampit, Browns Ferry and Pleasant Hill. The program provides motivational posters, books and videos. The "Can Do Duck" is a book about the "power of belief in self," said Betsy Ross, founder and president, "and a can do attitude." Olympian Devon Harris's book, "Yes I Can," is the inspirational story of the Jamaican bobsled team. Videos feature Harris, Hootie and the Blowfish, Access Hollywood's Nancy O'Dell, pro football player Brentson Buckner and model Mariana Verkerk all extolling the virtues of reading.
October 18, 2006 - Southwest Orlando Bulletin - Dr. Phillips Elementary’s theme for the year is “Are You Up for the Challenge? The Can-Do Duck says ‘Yes!’” Based on The Can Do Duck book by Ducktor Morty, M.D., and illustrated by his children, Arielle and Sarah, DPES students are ready to meet any challenge with a “can-do” attitude.
August 9, 2006 - South Jersey Courier Post - An article mentioned Can Do and The Storm being distributed to 15,000 Mississippi children (the total distribution grew to 30,000!)
July 5, 2006 - Brookhaven Daily Leader, Mississippi - Children have not been excluded from the programs provided by Project Recovery. A book titled
"Can Do and the Storm: A Story About New Beginnings" is used in library reading programs, schools, churches and day cares to teach children about the difficulties that may come with a natural disaster. "It's about two little ducks and animals who had to move from their pond because a hurricane came through. It talks about how they helped each other and talks about some of their fears. It's a great story about supporting one another," said Kaylee Wade, Project Recovery team leader.
January 10, 2006 - A Book For Small Children Affected by Disaster - by KYW's Dr. Marciene Mattleman - Much has been reported about displaced students whose lives have been disrupted as a result of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In December, the US Senate voted overwhelmingly on $1.6 billion for hurricane-related aid for education in an attempt to bring normalcy into the lives of kids. While older kids express their concerns and fears more readily, it’s hard to gauge the effects of such disasters on very young children. But Ducktor Morty, a psychiatrist from Voorhees, NJ, has written several short books for early readers using "The Can-Do Duck" to develop positive attitudes. "Can Do And The Storm" should bring comfort and hope to kids. The text, which is rhymed, makes serious topics fun to read, as Can Do attacks the problems of being homeless, finding shelter, getting food and water, and losing track of a parent. Illustrated by Ducktor Morty's daughters, the book will certainly appeal to young children. And its subtitle, "The New Beginning," sets the right tone for reassurance. Congress helps in one sense and The Can Do Duck can help in another.