Common Sense Media Review
New friend brings conflict to Duck and Goose.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
When Thistle arrives in the meadow, her boastful ways threaten the peaceful friendship of Duck and Goose.
Is It Any Good?
This sequel to Duck & Goose takes a developmental leap ahead of its predecessor. Duck and Goose have more rounded, more specific characters, and there's more of a plot to follow. So most 2- and 3-year-olds who were fans of the first book may not appreciate this one right away.
Thistle is chatty, bossy, and very competitive; she pushes Goose around and asserts her authority by turning everything into a contest that she's going to win. Any kid who has spent time on the playground or at preschool will be able to identify with one of the three in this story. And just like real life, the final resolution isn't a neatly tied up happy ending -- there's definitely room for more in the series. Hills retains his richly colorful illustrative style here, and his characters' personalities are effectively conveyed in their facial expressions and body language.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why Thistle likes to brag. Why might she think that bragging about all the things she does better will make her new friends like her? How does it really make them feel?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Tad Hills
- Genre : Picture Book
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Schwartz & Wade
- Publication date : February 13, 2007
- Number of pages : 40
- Last updated : June 19, 2019
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate