Merry Christmas, Ollie!

November 1, 2008
Dunrea continues his successful series about a gaggle of goslings with this simple story for preschoolers about the anticipation that little ones experience before Christmas. The five goslings, each wearing a different hat, wait anxiously in snowy fields for the arrival of Father Christmas Goose. They hang up their stockings and boots in the barn and ask each other when Christmas might arrive. The smallest gosling, Ollie, has the most trouble waiting, stomping and shouting in his impatience. Ollie stubbornly waits outside in the snow by himself, and he is rewarded by seeing Father Christmas Goose. Dunrea deftly employs an understated simplicity in his spare text and in his delicate watercolor-and-ink illustrations of the gawky goslings. The latter are attractively presented in vignette format surrounded by white space that extends the wintry feeling. The choice of Father Christmas Goose as the Santa character is a clever play on words, but this concept may be confusing for some children, who may think the character is the father of the goslings rather than Santa. (Picture book. 2-5)

(COPYRIGHT (2008) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

October 1, 2008
PreS-First-time readers and those already familiar with Dunreas goslings will be delighted by this simple story about anticipating the holiday. Seated in the snow with their beaks leaning forward and dressed in winter wear, Gossie, Gertie, BooBoo, Peedie, and Ollie await the arrival of Father Christmas Goose. While the others interrupt their vigil for holiday preparations, Ollie remains steadfastly in place. His reward is a personal greeting from Father Christmas Goose (who looks majestic wearing an aviator cap and goggles) and the important task of announcing to everyone that Christmas has indeed arrived. Remaining true to his uncomplicated watercolor style, Dunrea maintains an element of charm to Ollies waiting, depicting his impatience as sweet and subdued, rather than manic and obsessed. Parents and children will immediately relate to this youngsters excitement."Joanna K. Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2008
Preschool Dunrea's fanswill be pleased to see his characters return in a simple picture book with a Christmas theme. All the little goslings are anticipating the arrival of Father Christmas. Ollie stomps about impatiently asking, Is Christmas here yet? When the pivotal moment comes, he reacts quite differently from the other little geese. While the story is slight, the focus on Ollies childlike anticipation is right on target. Dunreas graceful ink drawings and beautiful washes offer an appealing alternative to more complex, but less satisfying Christmas picture books.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2009
Dunrea's gaggle of geese await Father Christmas Goose. Tired-of-waiting Ollie stands on his head, stomps around, and hollers "I want Christmas!" Dunrea captures the range of holiday-inspired feelings, from silent awe to wiggly impatience to shouts of joy. The spare but detail-filled pictures include amusing illustrative touches. Larger in format than previous Gossie books, this one's tailor-made for Christmas Eve group reading.

(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 1, 2008
Dunrea's gaggle of geese gathers to await the arrival of Father Christmas Goose. Best friends Gossie and Gertie, red-baseball-capped Peedie, and blue gosling BooBoo watch through the snow quietly, almost reverently; but tired-of-waiting Ollie stands on his head, stomps around, and hollers "I want Christmas!" As usual, Dunrea gets the preschooler emotions just right, capturing the range of holiday-inspired feelings, from silent awe to wiggly impatience to shouts of pure joy. Amusing illustrative touches in the spare but detail-filled pictures include a fir tree adorned with brown and white egg ornaments. Larger in format than the previous Gossie & Friends books, this offering is tailor-made for a Christmas Eve reading to a group.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)