Review by Booklist Review
Dunrea's latest picture book is the second to feature Pearl, a small, black gosling who loves to sing. She's the littlest gosling in her community, but she has the loudest voice. Every day, whether dancing on the stone wall, napping on the haystack, or singing to the bees, Pearl wears her beloved pearl necklace everywhere she goes, even when diving into the pond. After she returns home one day, Papa Goose asks, "Pearl, where are your pearls?" Devastated, she retraces her steps, but she can't find her necklace. Pearl's tears are falling into the pond when gosling Rufus and Ruby surprise her, saying, "Look what we found!" Wearing her necklace again, Pearl sings for joy. The visual charm of Dunrea's Gossie & Friends series is evident on every page of the book, from the expressive line drawings to the restrained, effective use of color to the white backgrounds that redirect viewers' eyes to the characters. The volume's small size, six inches square, seems in keeping with the brief story. A welcome addition to a beloved series.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1--In the "Gossie & Friends" books for toddlers and preschoolers, another tale of Pearl. This black gosling, who lost her voice in the first book, loves wearing a strand of pearls. She wears them everywhere. Once again, children are treated to seven spreads of Pearl's love--here, the pearls--which then do not survive a dive in the pond. What follows is a few more pages of her devastation before she is aided by others. There is a little cadence to the language, and truly lyrical scenes of country life; Pearl is as industrious as can be, and children will love following her around. It's just that a very dear little gosling has found herself in a flat-footed plot. VERDICT For the very young with long attention spans, this may be a "first mystery." But Pearl's habit--to get into scrapes and be rescued by others--is not one every child will adopt.--Kimberly Olson Fakih
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Losing something precious can be devastating. The titular black-feathered, orange-beaked singing gosling introduced in Pearl (2024) adores the pearl necklace she wears every day, whether she's swimming, serenading the bees, dancing, napping, or diving into the pond. "Pearl loves, loves, LOVES her pearls!" When she returns home after a busy day, Papa Goose notices they aren't around her neck and asks where they are. Oh, no! They're lost! Retracing her steps, Pearl searches everywhere; she's tearful and heartbroken when she can't find them. But friends Ruby and Rufus have also been diving in the pond. "Look what we found!" they call out gleefully as they swim toward Pearl with her beloved necklace. Guess who sings joyously at book's end? This delightful charmer is expressed in short, clipped sentences, using simple vocabulary, allowing for easy, comforting listening for young audiences; many sentences are repeated, making this a fine choice for emergent readers, too. Children will empathize with Pearl's loss, no doubt having misplaced valued belongings of their own, and will cheer at the book's happy conclusion. Crisp, uncluttered illustrations are downright adorable and allow readers/listeners to focus on the action. Like the titular necklace, a treasure. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
