Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0805071032 ISBN 13: 9780805071030

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 2009

Apair of Canada geese is starting a family. The female builds a nest, lays her eggs, and keeps the chicks warm until they're ready to hatch. Her mate protects their nesting site. Soon they will have six wobbly-legged chicks.

Through the waiting, the hatching, the first stroll, and the first swim, the father goose stands guard over his family, always ready to chase away danger with a loud Honk!

About the Author:

APRIL PULLEY SAYRE is the award-winning author of more than fifty books for young readers. She and her husband live in South Bend, Indiana.

HUY VOUN LEE is the author and illustrator of several books for young readers, including At the Beach; In the Snow; and 1, 2, 3, Go! She lives with her husband in New York City.

From Booklist:

*Starred Review* A fun read-aloud grounded by great informational back matter, Sayre’s latest is one of the few picture books that give a nod to Father Goose. The book begins with him flapping his wings, calling out his distinctive “Honk, hee-honk, honk!” and chasing away squirrels, ducks, and all the geese except for one female. Sayre shows their mating rituals and their nest making with appealing concision: “Dabble, dip, they paddled in the pond. Pluck, pull, they fed on plants.” Once the nest is made, lined with soft feathers from the female goose, the male goose again calls out, “Honk, hee-honk, honk!” and chases away any danger to their eggs, like muskrats and opossums, although one raccoon does succeed in disturbing the nest and breaking an egg. Lee’s cut-paper collage illustrations wonderfully complement the text—they’re simple yet expressive, and the tangible textures of nest and trees are set off by the expanses of solid-color sky and shoreline. She nicely captures the geese in motion as well as at rest in their nest. On the last spread, the male goose is still not resting, though; eyes staring out at the reader, wings extended out to the length of the two pages, he calls out (and many children will join in): “Honk, hee-honk, honk! Hisssssssss!” Grades K-3. --Abby Nolan