The Golden Goose

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The Golden Goose

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Overview

Farmer Skint and his family have fallen on hard times at Woebegone Farm until their goose lays a golden egg. With the birth of Joy the Golden Goose, the fortune of the Skint family begins to change. But what will happen when people find out about their golden-feathered friend? How long can they keep Joy a secret?

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About the Author

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781486247462
Publisher:	Bolinda Audio
Publication date:	07/21/2015
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 6.50(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	7 - 9 Years

About the Author

Dick King-Smith is the beloved author of Babe: The Gallant Pig, Titus Rules!, and Funny Frank. He turned 80 in 2003 and lives in a 17th-century cottage in Bristol, England, where he continues to write books for young readers.

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Editorial Reviews

King-Smith (Babe: The Gallant Pig) shapes a taut, tidy tale of a down-and-out farmer whose luck changes dramatically after his goose lays a golden egg. As the novel opens, the author paints a drolly dim portrait of life at Woebegone Farm, where it always rained at harvest time, and Farmer John Skint's "cows often got foul-in-the-foot,... and his chickens were always being eaten by foxes." Alas, the impoverished fellow is forced to sell all his animals except for a goose and a gander called Sorrow and Misery-and he fears the family will have to eat them or starve. Yet, the two soon hatch a golden gosling, and life becomes jolly indeed (the farmer names it Joy). Stroking the feathered newborn, the farmer and his wife swell with happiness and their worries disappear. In quick succession, the family's luck turns: Skint wins the lottery and places a big bet on "John's Joy," a long-shot contender that places first in a horse race. After a famous naturalist learns of Joy's existence, he shares with the farmer an ancient Roman legend that offers a clue to the golden gosling's pending fate. The novel's breezy premise, Kronheimer's simple and appealing halftone illustrations, the text's relatively large typeface and brief chapters make this perhaps best suited to those just embarking on chapter books, but reluctant readers will also take a fancy to it. And all will be tickled by the uplifting conclusion that caps this engaging story. Ages 8-12. (Mar.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Farmer and Mrs. Skint could easily share the names of their geese, Misery and Sorrow. Debt is about to overcome them and they can see no way out except to sell the family farm. When the situation has reached an all time low-point, Farmer Skint announces that they will have to eat Misery and Sorrow. But, he finds a surprise waiting for him in the goose hut: a golden egg! This is not like the golden egg of the traditional fairy tale. This golden egg produces a golden goose that brings with her good luck and joy, to match her name. After Joy hatches from her shell, the Skints' luck changes; Farmer Skint wins a bet on a horse, the farm animals he buys are all healthy and produce more than the usual milk, eggs and baby piglets. The Skints now have plenty of food, money and happiness. Their only concern is what will happen if the rest of the world finds out about their golden goose. The simple line drawings complement this story perfectly, showing the farmer going about his daily life with a golden goose as a companion. The faces are full of expression and reflect the text impeccably. When Joy begins to lose her color, the Skints have yet another turn of good fortune, coming from an unexpected source. This simple story is told in uncomplicated language that is easy to read and enjoyable for all levels of readers. 2003, Alfred E Knopf/Random House, Ages 8 to 12.
—Wendy M. Smith-D'Arezzo

Children's Literature

A failing farmer's fortune changes when Joy, literally, comes into his life. Hatched to a pair of seemingly ordinary geese named Misery and Sorrow, the golden-yellow gosling quickly earns her uplifting moniker, for not only do Farmer Skint and his family get an immediate rush of pleasure from petting her, but suddenly money starts rolling in from lottery and race-track winnings. In no time, the Skints, and their Woebegone Farm, are back in business. Kronheimer's relaxed pen-and-ink drawings depict a smiling young rural family and a small but self-confident-looking goose who takes up residence in the farmhouse until it's time to lay eggs (golden ones, to be sure) of her own. Aside from a fox's brief and fatal walk-on, there isn't much tension in the plot, but readers in search of farmyard tales featuring naturalistically rendered animals, good-hearted humans, hints of magic and, for good measure, a whiff of metaphor, will come away happy. (Fiction. 9-11)

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