A Splendid Friend, Indeed

Goose is terribly sure of himself. In his bumbling, insensitive way, he comes upon Bear, who is reading. As such people do, Goose takes over the book and the reading, and then he wants to show Bear his writing too. Bear gets crosser and crosser, but when Goose goes to get a snack and returns with a note for Bear saying, ‘I like you. Indeed I do. You are my splendid friend,’ Bear melts and admits that Goose is also his splendid friend. It is the ‘splendid’ illustrations that really make this book. The large white polar bear and the cheekily intrusive goose are full of life, and the heavenly blue background manages to reflect both the bear’s grumpiness and goose’s flighty self-assuredness. Goose’s facial expressions make him lovable in spite of his bumptiousness. Parents will recognise and enjoy the desire to have time to oneself in spite of demanding little ones.