From mid-March through the day after the chicks hatch, Sayre follows a mated pair as they start a family. While the female builds a nest, lines it with her feathers and lays and cares for the eggs, the male takes his job of guarding his family very seriously. The many creatures the male chases off give readers an idea of the predators the geese face, and ultimately a raccoon does manage to break an egg despite his vigilance. Short sentences, easy vocabulary and onomatopoeia make this ideal for sharing with the youngest listeners, but there is enough story and information to make it a good choice for ornithologically minded emergent readers as well. Backmatter provides additional information about goose family life, migratory patterns and the distinction between the two types of geese, Canada and Cackling. Lee’s cut-paper–collage artwork is filled with texture. The geese seem three-dimensional, ready to fly off the pages and honk at the reader—as the male does, in one spectacular spread. A short bibliographic essay rounds out this terrific introduction. (Informational picture book. 4-8)
