But it’s Wednesday, not a book review day!

But it’s a Momming Around sort of book. So enjoy. Or else.

Goose’s best friend, Duck, shows up one day with a new friend who is also a duck, but is thankfully not named Duck (which would be understandably confusing), but Thistle. Goose is a laid-back sort of bird. He likes to watch butterflies, kick the ball around, and sit around and smell flowers. Thistle, however, likes to compete. “‘Hey, I’m really good at math, too!’ exclaimed Thistle. ‘I’m probably the best!'” And so begins Thistle’s nonstop contest with Goose, poor Duck moderating and watching from the sidelines.

Now, I don’t know what this little gray duck has to prove, but she’s got an ego the size of (oh, I don’t know, something really big. I’ve sat here thinking about this for too long; it’s time to move on). Thistle creates contest after race after competition, and poor Goose is exhausted. Finally he runs away, and Duck eventually finds him. Their solution to Thistle’s obsessive game-making is creative and keeps anyone’s feelings from getting hurt.

The illustrations are bright and attractive. Thistle’s know-it-all expressions are fantastic. Best of all, my Z loves this book and will sit through it, although the story seems a bit lengthy for a two-year-old’s attention span. Must be the creative accents I use for each of the characters. Hey, Z has no idea that this isn’t what a British accent sounds like!