NEVER SAY BOO TO A GOOSE!

Unable to resist testing his mother’s admonition not to taunt the goose, one little kitten embarks on his disobedient quest, but first he must find out which of the barnyard animals actually is the goose. His first trial finds him surrounded by hens and their chicks. He attempts to test his mother’s instructions, calling out “Boo, goose!” but the chickens laugh at him: “Cluck, cluck, cluck. Silly kitten. We’re not geese, we’re hens.” Many more cases of mistaken identity follow as the kitten travels around the farm. He meets the donkey and some ducks, has a brief encounter with the dog, and finally, when he is just about to give up, he meets up with the goose. Thrilled at his success, he calls out “Boo!” The little kitten soon finds out that he should have listened to his mother’s instructions as one very large, very angry goose chases him. Snuggled back with his mother, he claims that he will never attempt to taunt the goose again, but the look in his button eyes suggest that this kitten may still have some mischief in him. Stitched fabric collages illustrate this simple tale and the production gives them an almost three-dimensional quality. Buttons function as eyes and seed beads add bubbles to the water in the pond, making this a visually pleasing as well as useful exploration of farm animals and the sounds that they make. A honking good time. (Picture book. 2-5)