The Serious Goose

How serious is this goose? We're talking severity on steroids: on the back cover, she's holding a copy of War and Geese. "DO NOT EVEN TRY TO BE SILLY AROUND THIS GOOSE!" writes late-night star Kimmel. The emphatic, all-caps black typography (which Kimmel also hand-drew) asserts that nothing will make this goose, with stern black brows and a safety-orange colored bill, drop her scowl, including putting a chicken on her head. Readers are invited to "give it a shot" with some funny-face-making, and a mylar mirror is included so that they can check their work: "BE DOOFY/ BE GOOFY/ ANY WAY YOU KNOW HOW." But it's really no use--or is it? In his savvy, funny picture-book debut, Kimmel uses his limited drawing style to great advantage; in fact, the less the goose does, the funnier it is. The interplay between the goose's dour mien and the typography--which is every bit as much of a character as the bird in the title--drives much of the laughs. Most of all, Kimmel knows that when you tell a kid not to do something, it's sure to unleash silliness of epic proportions. Ages 3-7. (Dec.)

PreS-Gr 2--Comedian and prankster Kimmel challenges kids to make a serious goose smile. At the beginning of the story, Kimmel has drawn a no-nonsense goose with furrowed eyebrows and a bill pressed tightly together. He proceeds to place the goose in several silly situations, including placing a chicken on her head and dressing her as a moose, but he fails to make the goose smile. It is up to the readers to succeed where he has failed, and there is a mirror placed in the center of the story so that children can practice their silly shenanigans. The hand lettered text is black, large, and bold, with plenty of white space on the pages to allow readers to focus on the goose's facial expressions. There is pleasure in watching the goose's serious expression start to shift, and when she finally dances out in underwear with a ridiculous grin on her face, every reader will grin along with the "silly goose." This book will be fun to read aloud to a child, but particularly hilarious to read to a group of children. Proceeds from the book will benefit Children's Hospital Los Angeles and other children's hospitals around the U.S. VERDICT Laughter is contagious, and there won't be any stopping the silliness busting out when children and adults read this story together.--Sally James, South Hillsborough Elementary School, CA