Goose and the Mountain Lion [Hardcover]

Rising Moon Editors (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1994 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

The other animals in the barn suspect a mountain lion of stealing Goose's eggs, but when they stand guard, the eggs keep disappearing anyway.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When Goose hears the other farm animals talking about a mountain lion, she worries lest it suddenly fancy a spot of goose for supper. However, the invader seems more interested in Goose's offspring, for next morning one of her "clutch of four creamy-white eggs" has disappeared. That night the goat stands guard but another egg goes missing, until one by one all the farm animals have stood sentinel and all the eggs have vanished. The story's humor is conveyed by the illustrations, which show a tiny pack rat hoisting the eggs into a wagon while the guards scan the horizon for lions. Following in the footsteps of Aesop's tales, the well-paced narrative hums with wry amusement as it demonstrates the dangers of blinkered vision. The deftly sketched artwork, detailed down to the last hair, is somewhat less subtle; the animals bedecked in ribbons and bonnets do little to complement the text. Ages 5-up.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-When Goose's eggs begin to disappear, the barnyard animals fear that a mountain lion has been on the prowl. They take turns watching out for it, not noticing that it is a pack rat who is the real culprit. When the mountain lion makes its inevitable appearance, Goose scares it away by howling, whirling, slapping, and snapping at it. She is then happily reunited with her newly hatched chicks. The story, though rather predictable, moves along nicely enough until the ending, which is somewhat puzzling. In the introduction, Ms. Harris explains that goslings latch onto the first thing they see upon hatching, yet the first time readers see them they are dutifully following their mother, with no explanation as to how they were reunited. Children will also be confused by the selective blindness of the various animals who see the pack rat, but fail to notice the eggs that he is carrying, even though the eggs are as large as he is. The illustrations are nicely done, especially in the menacing full-page portrayal of the sinister mountain lion's face, or the amusing depiction of the dapper ox who sports an umbrella and a bowler hat. The pictures help immensely, but do not make up for the flaws in the story.
George Delalis, formerly at Oakland Public Library, CA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Cooper Square Publishing Llc; 1st edition (April 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873585763
• ISBN-13: 978-0873585767
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,138,319 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Goose & the mountain lion is great fun, March 4, 2004

By 

Angie Prochaska (Iowa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Goose and The Mountain Lion (Paperback)

My children have had this book probably since 1994 when it was first published. It is a book that has been read so many times it is beginning to fall apart. I do different voices for all of the animals, which the kids love. The story is humorous & entertaining. The pictures are beautiful and if the kids look closely they will know who is really taking the goose's eggs. I highly recommend this book!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A PUZZLE FOR YOUNG READERS, April 5, 2004

By 

Gail Cooke (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Goose and The Mountain Lion (Paperback)

Husband/wife teams often come up with the best ideas, and such is the case with this book for young readers. Marian Harris has penned a mini-mystery for children, while Jim Harris illustrates it with deft brush strokes enabling livestock to take on personalities and endearing expressions.

The question is who is sneaking into goose's nest and purloining her eggs? We know what friends are for which is why all the barnyard animals rally around to help goose solve the mystery.

Young readers will enjoy watching the steps that are taken to find the culprit.