Gideon

December 19, 2011
Gideon, “a small, ruddy gosling who likes to play,” joins Gossie and the other goslings on Dunrea’s farm. Always on the move, Gideon chases a piglet, plays “tag-the-mole,” leaps over a frog, and listens to bees buzzing in their hive—always with his octopus toy in tow. No naps for Gideon, no matter what mother goose says, but a day of barnyard shenanigans has a way of tiring out a gosling. Dunrea’s charming world of tiny adventures should continue to enchant toddlers. Available simultaneously: Gideon & Otto. Up to age 3.

January 1, 2012
A new gosling joins Dunrea's Gossie & Friends. Gideon is a ruddy little goose who likes to play. All day. With boundless energy, he dashes, hops, scoots and scurries across the farmyard in search of adventure. In the piggery he plays chase-the-piglet. In the sheep house he bounces on the ewe. In a rare moment of stillness, he plays quietly with the turtle, gently looking, never moving. But Gideon can't play all day. Mama Goose keeps interrupting his fun by calling for naptime. Gideon's response is familiar to caregivers far and wide: "No nap! I'm playing!" A defiant naptime battle to be sure, but tiny Gideon also embodies a toddler's insatiable curiosity. Why should he sleep when there's so much to do and see? Familiar clean, white backdrops frame each scene, and Gideon's wide-mouthed exuberance echoes his feathered friends from previous works. Gideon doesn't show many signs of tiring, but the lumpy, striped octopus that he drags everywhere looks more bedraggled with each romp. Young readers will relate to Gideon's assertion of control; adult readers will smile knowingly when he finally starts to snooze. Dunrea has proven himself a master of child behavior (and waterfowl)--let's hope the gaggle keeps growing. (Picture book. 2-5)

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Starred review from January 1, 2012

PreS-Gideon is a "small ruddy gosling who likes to play. All day." This fun-loving, feathered fellow explores the farm and engages in such activities as "chase-the-piglet," "find-the-eggs," and "tag-the-mole." His mother calls, but Gideon keeps replying, "No nap! I'm playing!" After climbing to the top of a haystack and snuggling down in the straw, sleepiness wins out. In Gideon and Otto, children meet the gosling's favorite friend. When the toy octopus goes missing, a search of the leaf pile and pond ensues. Otto's triumphant return is on the back of a turtle. Dunrea's ink-and-watercolor illustrations capture Gideon's ebullient personality-feathers fly when he is racing to his next adventure, and his beloved stuffed toy is tucked under his wing when he is quietly reading a book. With their pitch-perfect texts and charming characters, these stories are ideal for toddlers.-Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.