Goose Chase - Softcover

Kindl, Patrice

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0547331649 ISBN 13: 9780547331645

Publisher: Clarion Books, 2010

Synopsis

Her name is Alexandria Aurora Fortunato, and she is as lovely as the dawn. But that is only one of her problems. There’s also the matter of those three magical gifts of treasure bestowed on her by a mysterious old woman. And King Claudio the Cruel wants to marry her for her beauty and her wealth, and so does his rival, Prince Edmund of Dorloo. Those are two more problems. And, worst of all, she is locked in a tower, with a grille of iron bars and several hundred tons of stone between her and freedom. Some days Alexandria wishes she looked like a pickled onion. Clearly the only thing to do is escape—and, with the aid of her twelve darling goose companions, that’s precisely what Alexandria does.

So begins the adventure of Patrice Kindl’s beguiling heroine. Her flight will take her to strange lands and lead her into perilous situations, all of which the plucky Alexandria views with a wry and witty spirit. Here is a sprightly tale of magic and romance, in which those geese play a most surprising role.

About this title

About the Author:

Patrice Kindl's first novel, Owl in Love, was an ALA Notable Book for Children, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, and an SCBWI Golden Kite Award Honor Book.

From Booklist:

Gr. 6-9. Trapped in a tower until she chooses between two equally ghastly suitors--an evil king and an insipid prince--Goose Girl needs a quick miracle. Enter her faithful, magical geese, which transport her away from the wedding dilemma and set in motion a classic adventure-chase that turns into a delightful, witty fairy-tale spoof. It seems Goose Girl's kindness to a shriveled old woman resulted in a reward: Goose Girl can form gold dust in her hair, cry tears of diamonds, and become a ravishing beauty--talents that have brought about her marriage predicament: "In the future I shall know precisely what to do if another old beggar woman comes pestering me while I'm herding my geese in the high meadow." Not easily discouraged, the dull prince pursues his darling and nearly becomes a meal for a hilariously disgusting trio of ogresses, who just happen to have captured his ladylove. After more escapes and perilous flights, Goose Girl falls into the clutches of the evil king. Just as the wedding is about to take place, the beggar woman arrives on the scene and works her magic. It seems the bold heroine was a princess all along, and the geese, when restored to their real form, are her older sisters. Kindl's humor, the strong characterizations, and vibrant action give the story wings. A happy ending is, of course, understood. Anne O'Malley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0547331649
• ISBN 13: 9780547331645
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240