Gossie and Gertie (Gossie & Friends)
PreSchool-K-Two books that are sure to become favorites because they  tap into quintessential preschool experiences. In the first  book, Gossie's red boots are missing. When they are found on the  feet of Gertie, a smaller gosling, Gossie ends up sharing them.  In the second story, Gertie is back, this time with blue boots  of her own. She follows Gossie and does everything Gossie says,  for a while. When she begins to do her own thing, her friend  gets upset. By the end, the tables turn and Gertie leads Gossie  to the food bowl, which they share, struggles forgotten.  Dunrea's texts use easy words and simple, repetitive sentences,  with a little bit of rhyming when it fits: "She wears them when  she rides. She wears them when she hides" (Gossie). The  ink-and-watercolor illustrations add little details that will  reward observant children, such as a small insect in the  background. Gossie's rural world is reassuringly child-sized,  clear, and contained, as indicated by simple lines, primary  colors, and focused illustrations on a white background. Because  of the books' small size they will be better for one-on-one  sharing than for group storytime. Young children will ask to  hear these stories again and again, and they're just right for  little hands.Laurie von Mehren, Cuyahoga County Public Library,  Parma, OHCopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.