This is a traditional retelling of the fable. It lacks the charm of other books in the series, but, surprisingly, makes up for it in grandeur. The language is simple, as befits an early reader, yet even so it contains all the features of a Greek tragedy. At the beginning of the story, the farmer is a good man and a responsible caretaker to his geese. As the fable progresses, he is slowly overwhelmed by his greed into overreaching. A flock of geese stands in for a chorus to the main action. The golden goose is gone by the end, but the creators opt to focus on the greedy farmer crying over his losses, rather than the goose’s fate. Young readers will appreciate the fable’s harsh justice. 

As always, Sara Rojo Pérez’ illustrations shine. The art is as golden as the goose’s eggs. The farmer’s mustache curls in true Snidely Whiplash fashion when he turns toward evil. The text is aimed at early readers who are ready for a variety of sentence structures and some stretch vocabulary.  – Krishni Burns