Module 8 - Goose Girl

Summary

This novel is a retelling of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale, “Goose Girl.”  It is the story of Anidori-Kildra Talianna Isilee, or Ani, the Crown Princess of Kildnree.  Ani is a shy quiet girl who is not comfortable with her role as the Crown Princess.  Unbeknownst to her, Ani’s mother, the Queen of Kildnree, had arranged for Ani to be married to Prince Geric of Bayern as a means of protecting Kildnree’s borders and planes to make her brother the heir to the thrown in her stead.  On the way to Bayern, Selia, Ani’s lady in waiting, uses her gift of people speak to convince the majority of the soldiers that she should be the princess instead of Ani and leads the men in rebellion.  Ani runs away and escapes.  With the help of some new friends, she makes it to the capital of Bayern, where she takes a job as a goose girl.  Eventually, she discovers Selia’s plot to start a war between Bayern and Kildnree.  With the help of her new friends, Ani must figure out a way to stop the war and expose Selia as a fake and save Kildnree.

 

Bibliography

Hale, S.  (2003).  The goose girl. New York, NY:  Bloomsbury U.S.A.

My Impression

I really enjoyed this book.  I have read other things by Shannon Hale, such as Princess Academy, which is why I decided to pick this book up.  Once I started reading it, I could not stop.  I enjoyed seeing Ani transform from this meek, overly shy person into a confident, strong female character.  I like how she does not make excuses for what she can or cannot do but, instead, finds ways to do what she needs to do.  I found the characters in the book to e realistic and believable.  I fully intend to read the remainder of the series.

To Read or Not to Read:  Definitely read it and discover the awesomeness that is Shannon Hale.

Professional Reviews

School Library Journal
"A magical retelling of the Grimms's fairy tale of the princess who became a goose girl before she could become queen. Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, is born with the ability to speak to animals, a gift that is nurtured by her aunt. When the king dies, the queen announces that Ani's younger brother, not the crown princess, will succeed her on the throne. Unbeknownst to anyone, the queen has promised Ani in marriage to the prince of neighboring Bayern. The devastated teen is sent with a retinue over the mountains to Bayem and is betrayed by Selia, her lady-in-waiting, and most of her guards during the journey. Ani escapes, takes the name "Isi," disguises her distinctive blonde hair, and becomes a tender of geese to survive until she can reveal her true identity and reclaim her crown from the imposter, Selia. Ani meets and falls in love with Geric, who is, conveniently, the prince she is to marry. She is able to convince him and the king of her identity, marry, become queen, and stop a war between the kingdoms. This retelling retains many similarities to the original tale, including the gruesome punishment for treason. Hale's retelling is a wonderfully rich one, full of eloquent description and lovely imagery, and with a complex plot, a large cast of characters, and a strong female protagonist. Fans of high fantasy will be delighted with this novel, the first in a planned trilogy, and impatiently await those to follow."
Jones, T. E., Toth, L., Charnizon, M., Grabarek, D., Larkins, J., & Tyrrell Burns, C. (2003, August). [Book review of the book The goose girl, by S. Hale]. School Library Journal, 49(8), 160. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com.

Kirkus Reviews
"A beautifully textured and deeply re-imagined version of the Grimm Brothers Goose Girl, Hale's first novel is too long by a fair amount, but ensorcelled teen readers, swept up in the romance and the luscious language, probably won't notice. All the elements are here: a princess called Ani is born with the gift of heating and understanding the birds, the wind, and her beautiful horse, Falada. But Ani's mother, the queen, who has the gift of people-speaking, is so disappointed that Ani's gifts are in another direction that she sends Ani off to marry a prince of the next kingdom. On the road, Ani's serving maid Selia and her cohorts kill her guard and Selia takes Ani's place. Ani is cared for by a forest woman, becomes a goose herd in the town, and sees Falada's head hung in the town square. When Ani rallies her gaggle of friends to try to stop the war that Selia is instigating to hide her treachery, it leads to a gorgeous, dramatic climax where stories "tell us what they can. The rest is for us to learn."
[Bood review of the book The goose girl, by S. Hale]. (2003, July 1). Kirkus Reviews, 71(13), 910.  Retrieved from http://www.kirkusreviews.com.

Library Uses

The library could host a fairytale evening for older children.  A few of the traditional Grimm Brother fairtales could be shared.  Then, the children could create an illustration for their favorite tale.


Image retrieved from:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/goose-girl-shannon-hale/1100390273?ean=9781582349909