Starred review from July 14, 2003
In this pair of winsome, small-format follow-ups to Gossie
and Gossie & Gertie, Dunrea introduces yet another endearing gosling—but the introduction takes some pleasantly paced time. Or rather, Ollie, whom Dunrea introduces in the first tale as an egg, takes his
time hatching, much to the chagrin of the impatient Gossie and Gertie. "This is Ollie./ Ollie is waiting." As the egg rolls to the left and rolls to the right, Ollie's stubborn voice from within the shell repeatedly and humorously insists, "I won't come out!"—a refrain that youngsters will eagerly echo. After chasing the rolling egg and even perching atop it, Gossie and Gertie offer some sage advice to Ollie ("Don't come out"), which of course triggers the much-anticipated hatching; Ollie, wearing a piece of the cracked eggshell on his head, pops up and announces "I'm out!" Fans of the books that introduced Gossie and Gertie will recognize the newcomer's behavior in the second story: he follows in his pals' tracks as they tromp, stomp, romp and jump, wearing their brightly colored rubber boots. When he shouts, "I want boots!" Gossie gives him one of her red boots and Gertie hands over a blue boot. But Dunrea establishes Ollie as his own man when he adds a twist to the proceedings. With their simple watercolors and narrative, along with diminutive heroes who assert a budding independence, these tales demonstrate once again how well their creator knows his audience. Ages 2-5.
July 1, 2014
PreS-Gr 3-In Ollie, the duckling main character doesn't want to hatch. Friends Gossie and Gertie wait, watch, and cajole, but still he will not come out of the egg. In the follow-up book, Ollie covets the brightly colored rain boots of his friends, and traipses after Gossie and Gertie until they each share one of their boots with him. Despite thin plots, rudimentary illustrations, and flat characters, the simple sentences and vocabulary of these books makes them accessible to beginning readers. In the accompanying audio downloads, the narrator's voice sounds computer generated with little emotion or inflection to draw listeners in to the story. However, the simple navigation of the downloads, separate listening and read-along tracks, and under-three-minute running times make these audiobooks a good fit for the youngest readers.-Tara Hixon, Cashion Public Schools, OK
Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from July 1, 2003
PreS-Gr 1-Dunrea successfully adds to the "Gossie and Gertie" cast with these endearing tales. Sized for small hands, the books prove a perfect match of simple sentences and spare but precious ink-and-watercolor illustrations. In the first book, Ollie refuses to hatch, repeating again and again, "I won't come out" as Gossie and Gertie run after the egg, sit on it, and wait. Finally, on the last page, he emerges. "I'm out!' he says." In Ollie the Stomper, the gosling envies the boots worn by his pals, who each lend him one to include him in their play. Preschoolers and beginning readers will appreciate the repetition as well as the upbeat endings.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA
Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
October 1, 2004
PreS-Gr 1-No matter how Gossie and Gertie egg him on, a stubborn gosling refuses to hatch, until his would-be friends sit on his shell and feign indifference. An exuberant match of playful artwork and endearing characters.
Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
October 1, 2003
\deflang1033\pard\plain\f3\fs24 Reviewed with Olivier Dunrea's \plain\f3\fs24" Ollie the Stomper\plain\f3\fs24 .
PreS. The creator of the \plain\f3\fs24" Gossie\plain\f3\fs24 books introduces a new sibling for Gossie and Gertie--Ollie the gosling, stubborn, impatient, and endearing. His independent streak becomes obvious in \plain\f3\fs24" Ollie\plain\f3\fs24 as his sisters try to coax him out of his egg. It's only after they lose interest that the ornery little goose breaks through the shell. \plain\f3\fs24" Ollie the Stomper \plain\f3\fs24 picks up soon after. Though just recently hatched, Ollie is already feeling left out. His sisters have colorful boots, and Ollie wants some, too. Each sister gives him one of her boots, but after stomping around the barnyard, the fickle Ollie decides that the weather is too hot for footwear but perfect for a swim. Both books feature bright, uncluttered ink-and-watercolor illustrations and simple, repetitive text. Their small trim size and manageable text make them just right for beginning readers. Preschoolers will relate to Ollie's point of view and delight in his humorous reactions to the new world he's discovering. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)
July 1, 2014
Newly formatted editions of Dunrea's charming stories about gosling Ollie, the young companion to Gossie and Gertie, work well as beginning readers. The stories are unchanged, and they are as delightful and child-friendly as ever. The short, expressive sentences use repetition and rhythm nicely, while Dunrea's clean, eloquent illustrations give the earliest of readers additional information to support their efforts.
(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
January 1, 2004
These follow-ups to "Gossie" and "Gossie and Gertie" introduce a third intrepid gosling. In "Ollie", Gossie and Gertie use reverse psychology to get headstrong Ollie to hatch; in "Stomper", Ollie decides that he has to have rain boots like theirs. Art and text are spare but expressive, and Dunrea's understanding of toddler life (the shouting, the stomping, the shouting again) is remarkably keen. [Review covers these titles: "Ollie" and "Ollie the Stomper". ]
(Copyright 2004 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
January 1, 2008
Dunrea's captivating stories about three inquisitive goslings make perfect board books. Dunrea is precisely attuned to the toddler world, and his goslings have the same concerns: making friends, losing beloved objects, wanting someone else's beloved objects. The goslings march across the clean white pages in their bright blue and red boots, having tiny adventures and learning about the world as they go.
(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)