I came across this book in the library while scouring the shelves and shelves of books. I saw the cover and saw how many other books there were about Petunia and decided to give the goose book a try. Well I am glad I did! Kids will love this silly goose and her barnyard friends and want to read all of her adventures on Mr. Pumpkins farm. In this book Petunia finds a book. She recalls seeing Mr. Pumpkins son reading a book and says to herself "He who owns Books and loves them is wise" "if I take this Book with me, and love it, I will be wise too. And no one will call me a silly goose ever again."
This made Petunia proud and the more proud she became the longer her neck grew. She kept the book with her at all times and when the other barnyard animals saw this they started to believe she was wise and started to ask her for advice and opinions on everything! Needless to say that carrying this book doesn't make her wise and her advice to the other animals will have you laughing out loud! Her last bit of advice comes when all the farm animals find a box in the meadow and they ask her to read what it says. "CANDIES" she tells them and as they tear open the box eager to eat the treat the firecrackers explode leaving everyone including Petunia injured! Petunia, injured and her pride hurt realizes that she was not any wiser. Her neck shrunk back to its regular size and when she saw the book again she finally understood "It was not enough to carry wisdom under my wing. I must put it in my mind and in my heart. And to do that I must learn to read."
This book is delightful and being published in 1950 you almost feel transported to a simpler time. If you enjoy this book Roger Duvoisin has many other delightful animal tales to get hooked on! My girls get a kick out of seeing how high Petunia's neck grows "look mom it is SO long it is off the page!" Not to mention what a great lesson this serves to children on the importance of learning to read and the knowledge you will be rewarded with afterwards!
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