WHAT INSPIRED THE BOOK ... It seems that, these days perhaps more than ever, children need a positive message to latch on to - even at an early age. In this story, parents Doc and Dixie could only support their son Dooley as he met the challenges caused by the fact he could not quack. And in the end, his persistence and will to be successful proved to be the difference. Though the story took on many paths throughout its journey, the sets of young eyes belonging to my grandchildren eventually got the story and its message just right.