For certain kids, the box can be the best part of a giftespecially when its as enticing as the one Duck is about to give to Goose (Duck Goose, rev. 1/06, and sequels) at the start of this entertaining early reader. Duck has a gift for Goose. He puts it in a box. The box is plain and white, but not for long. Duck carefully paints primary-colorful stripes on the outside and adds a neat blue bow to the top. No sooner does he finish than Goose arrives. Duck presents the package to his friendwho thinks the box is the present: For me? Thank you! It is the nicest box I have ever seen! Duck tries to correct the mistake (But) while Goose eagerly gathers special things to put in the box. Theres an emotional beat when Duck does finally get Gooses attention: But, GooseThis box is not your gift. It is not mine? But a page-turn brings quick resolution: phew, yes, of course it is your box, Goose, but lets look at whats inside. By now readers and listeners will be eager to seeand its crystal-clear (from what came before in the story) that this is the perfect gift for Goose. Age-appropriate foreshadowing, vocabulary repetition, visual jokes and recognizable emotions in very unfussy illustrations, and a good payoff make for an enjoyable outing with Duck and Goose. elissa gershowitz January/February 2019 p 91(c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

The endearing characters who first appeared in Hills' picture book Duck & Goose (2006), and later in other titles for young children, return in a beginning-reader book from the Step into Reading series. Duck has a gift for his friend Goose and puts it into a box, which he paints with red, blue, and yellow stripes. He watches the paint dry, adds a card and a bow, and presents it to his friend. Excited to receive a striped box as a present, Goose runs off to get his treasures to put inside. Misunderstood and deflated, Duck waits. When Goose returns, Duck explains the gift is inside the striped box. Opening it, Goose finds exactly what he needs. Simple, colorful paintings underscore the story's gentle humor, which lies in the birds' expressions and the final surprise. Any child who struggles with reading will appreciate the large font, short words, and brief sentences of the text, but the familiar characters make this a particularly good choice for kids who get an early start on learning to read.--Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2018 Booklist

Picture- and board-book duo Duck and Goose get the early-reader treatment.Duck has a gift for his pal Gooseand it's not even Goose's birthday! The friendliest fowl around, Duck puts this gift (a mystery to readers) in a white box, paints the box in colorful stripes, and ties a ribbon around it. To top it off, he even includes a handmade card. Goose arrives on the scene and starts honking questions about the present. As soon as Goose realizes the box is for himand is a convenient receptacle for all his "special things"he rushes off to gather his many treasures. When Goose returns, Duck tells his hasty friend the box is not the actual gift and invites him to open it, which Goose does to discoveranother box! Using a vocabulary of around 60 unique words (usually 8 or fewer per page) Hills successfully shepherds the duo into their newest format. Rather than using italics, the design underlines a few words for emphasis. The spare mixed-media illustrations directly correlate to the text, featuring one or both birds in a patch of grass set against an ample solid white background. In addition to aiding decoding, the book's predictable pattern contributes to its well-paced comedic moments. On one spread, for instance, Goose unexpectedly breaks the fourth wall in a moment of heightened emotion.Fans of Duck and Goose can happily take the pair with them as they move toward independent reading. (Early reader. 4-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.