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Three Good Deeds!

by Vivian Vande Velde



      Howard wasn't a bad kid, at least he wasn't any worse than any of the other kids in Dumphrey's Mill. They all taunted the old woman who lived at the edge of Goose Pond. Who was to know that the old witch really was an old witch? But when Howard is caught stealing goose eggs, he soon finds out the old woman can do a great deal more than smack you with her cane. Howard ends up turned into a goose. And he'll stay a goose until he does three selfless good deeds. Through his new goose eyes, Howard learns a great deal about himself, his neighbors, and even one very cranky old woman.

Three Good Deeds is filled with Vande Velde's signature humor - Howard's awkward adjustment to goose life and his attempts to do good deeds are filled with laugh-out-loud moments. And Vande Velde's characterization of how geese feel about one another rings true and funny. Howard's time as a goose doesn't exactly turn him into a philanthropist, but it does let him begin to see the world through the eyes of others. Warning: as a read-aloud for younger children, the ending, while certainly satisfying and ultimately hopeful, can be a bit sad (it made my 6-year-old cry) so you may want to take that into account.

The Book

Harcourt, Inc
October 2005
Hardcover
0152053824
Children's Fiction [Age Level: 8 - 12]
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Excerpt
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The Reviewer

Jan Fields
Reviewed 2006
NOTE: Reviewer Jan Fields is the editor of Kid Magazine Writers emagazine and has written dozens of stories and articles for the children's magazine market.
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