From Publishers Weekly
Fittingly, a golden glow bathes McDermott's (Oom Razoom; The Flying Ship) acrylic and pencil art in this version of the lively Brothers Grimm tale (for a Hungarian version, see Ellin Greene and Rosanne Litzinger's The Little Golden Lamb, reviewed Mar. 13). Rendered in McDermott's nostalgic style, the full-spread art conveys the narrative's ebullience. Through his kindness to a troll, Hans, the cherubic son of a woodcutter, finds a goose "with feathers of pure gold." In a departure from the Grimm model, the goose informs Hans that it belongs to Princess Rosamund, and Hans immediately sets off for Rosamund's castle. On the way, a milkmaid tries to pluck a golden feather and finds herself stuck to the goose. McDermott gives the title character a bold personality: "Cwonk! Serves you right, my little goslings," laughs the goose as a second milkmaid becomes attached to the first, initiating what becomes a merry procession of stuck-together villagers, led by the goose-toting boy. For bringing a smile to Rosamund, who is mourning the loss of her goose, Hans receives the traditional prize: the princess's hand in marriage. Paying homage to illustrators such as Howard Pyle and N.C. Wyeth, McDermott conjures up a realm just right for fairy tales. Ages 3-8. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 1-4-In this familiar plot, a third and simple son shares his food and drink with a little old man who holds the secret to the tree where the golden goose hides. As the son trots along holding the goose, each person who touches it becomes stuck. When the silly parade of seven reaches the King's palace, the princess, promised in marriage to whomever makes her laugh, does so at the foolish sight. The story line holds true to the original except for eliminating the three trials the King sets for the hero to keep him from marrying his daughter. Here, the story ends with the hero making the princess laugh and marrying her. Characters have been personalized with names and traits, language revised, and details added. The old man is a troll, beer becomes cider, and the goose is in the area because of a magic spell. Even so, the text is brief and lacks a measure of enchantment. The dominating acrylic-and-pencil illustrations appear as if a yellowish (or golden?) film has been imposed on them, paling the colors for a muted effect. McDermott's effort at an old-fashioned style results in prettified scenes and faces of children far too young to be married. The rendition of the tale by Uri Shulevitz (Farrar, 1995) relies on angular shapes, peasant features, and a "stuck-on" rhyme to exaggerate the humor.
Julie Cummins, New York Public Library Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
