Paul Zimmerman

The Peaceful Ducks Paul Zimmerman

When the ducks return after a season away, they discover their quiet lake by the college campus is not the way they left it. They find a noisy construction area, making room for growth and more people. The ducks travel around the university in search of a new home.

They try out a dormitory, a classroom, a dining hall, and even the library. But none of these is suitable for the trio of ducks. As they dejectedly make their way back to the lake, they find a path leading to The Place of Peace where they are welcomed with open arms. Here, the ducks find a quiet oasis.

This picture book for children features the Place of Peace, known in Japan as Hei-Sei-Ji. For many years, this intergenerational temple stood in Nagoya, Japan. In 2004, it was dismantled into more than 2,400 pieces. Transported through the Panama Canal to Furman University, it was reconstructed by Japanese craftsmen on this site in 2008.