The Geese March in Step

K-Gr 2—Zita can't march to the same beat as the other geese, no matter how hard she tries to match their rhythmic strides. Igor, their leader, doesn't appreciate her distinct variation and dismisses her from the group. Although upset, she soon finds the appreciation for her unique style elsewhere and learns that being different doesn't have to mean being devalued. Full-bleed spreads feature cartoonish portrayals of different farm animals. Their expressive faces add some fun to the otherwise straightforward depictions. As a read-aloud, the text doesn't flow smoothly, especially when it is supposed to be emphasizing a rhythm or pattern. For example, "Splash sniff splash knock and sniff splash again knock sniff splash knock" provides very few textual clues to aid in reading that line. Although the lesson of individuality is endearing, this book fails to stand out from the gaggle of other choices.—Megan Egbert, Meridian Library District, ID