Gr. 3-5. When a local witch sees the boy Howard stealing eggs from the geese that she tends, she decides that he needs a lesson--and she changes him, fittingly, into a goose. Correctly discerning that Howard rarely thinks of others, the witch refuses to return him to human form until he has done three good deeds. Howard's learning to be a goose is almost a full-time job, and it comes with unexpected, occasionally poignant setbacks, such as when his friends don't recognise him. Of course, Howard fumes, frets, and schemes to get around the curse, but he eventually stumbles into a good deed and feels the pleasure of doing right, if only briefly. Although Howard doesn't change dramatically, by the close of his uncomfortable lesson he has begun to think more about those around him--both the human and the feathered kind. With well-spaced print, plenty of dialogue, a strong dose of humour, and more invention than many books written at this level, this goose tale is a nicely accomplished, entertaining read, with strong potential for reading aloud to younger children. Kathleen Odean
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