One Smart Goose [Hardcover]

Caroline Jayne Church (Author), Caroline Jay Church (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up

One moonlit night + one hungry fox = One big chase! Whenever there's a full moon, the sneaky fox chases all the geese. All the geese, that is, except one. What could be his secret? While all the white fluffy geese clean themselves in the clear, clean pond, One Smart Goose chooses the dirty pond. "Why doesn't the fox ever chase you?" they demand. "Have you got a secret you're not telling us?" No, it's just that One Smart Goose knows that when the fox comes looking for dinner under a full moon, the white geese will shine and glow in the moonlight, while he will blend in.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1–Down on the farm, a gaggle of shiny, white geese teases a dirty, little goose. However, when the moon is full, he is the one the fox does not chase because his muddy feathers blend in with the shadows. Soon all the geese begin to bathe in the muddy pond. When winter comes, the dirty goose cleans himself up until he gleams and shines, and the fox doesn't notice him against the snow, enabling the little hero to kick the predator down a hill. The other geese praise his smarts, making him feel part of the gaggle at last. The simple, playful text is full of fun sound effects and repeated phrases. Church also conveys much emotion and feeling through the fluid, bold lines of her cartoon illustrations. Various textured papers as backgrounds help give the images depth. Young children will applaud this endearing tale with its clever and resourceful protagonist. Pair it with Richard Waring's Hungry Hen (HarperCollins, 2001), also illustrated by Church, for a storytime featuring barnyard underdogs.–Rachel G. Payne, Brooklyn Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. The smart (but dirty) goose of the title has perfected the art of camouflage. The other bright-white geese fear the fox on moonlit nights, but the dirty goose walks unafraid. When the others learn the secret, they leap into a muddy pond. As time goes by, the weather grows cold. The little goose finds a clean pond and scrubs its feathers, but it can't convince the others to do the same. Then snow falls, the moon rises, and the fox chases the dirty geese--until the clean goose outfoxes him once and for all. The clever story will hold the attention of young children, but the illustrations are the book's most striking feature. Bold black lines define the forms of the geese, the fox, and the setting, while textured papers, bits of smudgy print, and collage elements enrich the simple compositions. Visually appealing, this provides an excellent early introduction to the concept of camouflage in nature as well as a narrative worth repeat readings. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Orchard; 1 edition (April 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439687659
• ISBN-13: 978-0439687652
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 11 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #896,180 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My daughter loves this book., December 15, 2005

By 

Tim Otero (Oceanside, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: One Smart Goose (Hardcover)

I couldn't disagree more with the previous commenter. Yes, it is a very simple story. Isn't that the point? We wouldn't want our kids reading Voltaire right off the bat. Getting back to the book...

A simple story, colorfully and beautifully drawn. When we read it to my 16 month old, she is drawn to the boldness of the illustrations. She often sits, turning pages and looking at the pictures while telling us a story. When we read it to her we add lots of sound effects. Lots of fun.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for storytimes, February 1, 2007

By 

Nicole M. Mikesell (Raleigh, NC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: One Smart Goose (Hardcover)

A short, sweet story that kids will enjoy. The story is short and simple enough for toddlers and is enhanced by bright, cheerful illustrations. Kids will love it when the fox gets a kick in the behind.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 3-year-old's Favorite Book, February 19, 2008

By 

R. Sheppard - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: One Smart Goose (Hardcover)

I borrowed this book from the library and my 3-year-old just fell in love with the story. I recently purchased my copy on Amazon.com. It has great illustration and a simple plot for little ones to follow.

It's about a goose that was very lonely and different from the other geese. A fox comes to chase the geese every full moon night, but the fox never chases the lonely little goose. The lonely little goose saves all the other geese, the other geese finds out how smart the lonely little goose is and is never lonely again.

It uses small words, only a few sentences on every page so your kid won't lose his/her attention span while you're reading. It's definitely a story that I don't mind to read over and over and over.... at least so far. I love it.