Silly Little Goose!

From Publishers Weekly Little Goose needs to make a nest. But whenever she settles into a place on the farm that's "nice and soft" or "nice and quiet," it turns out to be another animal's domain--a blanket-lined crate belongs to the cat family, a bin of straw is the sheep's fodder--and she is rousted to a refrain of "Silly Little Goose!" Luckily, the farmer's hat (which blows through several spreads) lands in a "perfect" grassy nook, and soon the new mother's eight eggs are emitting eight tiny sounds. This handsome book exudes a lovely nostalgic sensibility, including the elegant typography. Tafuri's (Have You Seen My Duckling?) animal characterizations occasionally miss the mark (the pigs look a little blobby, the cats feel unfinished), but her plump, feathered heroine is just right--a determined bird who retains her sweet comic dignity despite being kicked out of every corner of the farm. The final image of Little Goose proudly parading her goslings before her fellow farm inhabitants proves that she wasn't so silly after all--and that persistence has its own rewards. Ages 1-6. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From School Library Journal PreS-Goose wanders through the farm looking for a place to nest. She finds warm, soft, quiet, or cozy spots, but each one is occupied. A pictorial subplot begins in the first two-page spread when the wind blows the farmer's hat off, and it appears in each potential nesting spot. The hat then lands under a shrub, and becomes the perfect place-it is warm, soft, quiet, and cozy. In a final joyous spread, a proud mother struts around the farm with her eight goslings in tow and a cast of farm animals suitably admiring them. The large, uncluttered illustrations are full of interest, humor, and detail. The text is simple, with one sentence per spread alternating with a spread that contains the refrain, "Silly little goose!" and the sounds of the animal babies. Perfect for lap-sits and toddler storytimes.-JoAnn Jonas, Chula Vista Public Library, San Diego, CACopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.