Pumpkin Hunt: Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin by Tad Hill

"Nice pumpkin, Thistle."

"Yes, it is."

"I want a pumpkin, too," said Goose.

"Duck, let's go find one."
Admiring their friend Thistle's lovely orange specimen puts Duck and Goose into instant pumpkin lust. The two set out to find their own, but they have no idea where pumpkins are to be found. A hollow log turns out to be a pumpkin-free zone. Then the frisky friends jump into a pile of autumn leaves and toss them at each other.

"Is our pumpkin in the leaf pile?"

"No," said Duck.

"Is our pumpkin up in the apple tree?"

Well, no, and it's not in the pond where Duck admires his own relection either. Goose climbs on top of Duck's shoulders to peer at the top of a big stump, to discover only an acorn.

Then they come upon their friend Thistle again, who asks a salient question.

"Have you tried the pumpkin patch?"

"The WHAT?" ask Duck and Goose.

Needless to say, the two friends are soon congratulating each other on their amazing search strategy from their perch on top a beautiful orange pumpkin.

Tad Hills' Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin is the latest in his best-selling picture and board books starring his admittedly adorable gosling and duckling pals, just in time for visits to that elusive pumpkin patch for preschoolers everywhere.

What Time Is It? Duck & Goose: It's Time for Christmas by Tad Hills

GOOSE!

IT'S NOT TIME FOR CATCHING SNOWFLAKES.

IT'S NOT TIME FOR MAKING A SNOW GOOSE.

Goose is obviously a carpe diem kind of guy. There's a fresh white snowfall on the ground, and he just knows it's time to throw snowballs, build snow forts, sled and skate, and create snow angels while the snow falls, so to speak.

Duck, however, is a task-oriented sort. There's a job ahead and there's no time like the present to get it done. What time is it?

Well, it's Christmastide, and it is obviously Duck's self-appointed purpose to push and prod his happy-go-lucky pal to get cracking with the Christmas tree. What Duck fails to heed all along, of course, is that Goose, despite his momentary heedless hedonism, is planning ahead as well. Concealed behind his back is a large gold star, all ready for topping the tree at just the right moment.

With Tad Hill's new holiday board book treat, Duck & Goose, It's Time for Christmas (Schwartz & Wade, 2010), it is well nigh impossible not to spout words like "cute" and "adorable" and "charming," because that is exactly what it is. That odd couple of the board book set, Duck and Goose, are delightfully darling in their stocking caps and mufflers, and their final product, the little snow-decked Yuletide tree, freshly wound with cranberry and popcorn strings, is, well, quite cute! Just in time for the holidays, the youngest board book lovers will welcome this addition to the series.

Other books about Duck and Goose are Duck and Goose (Duck & Goose), Duck, Duck, Goose (Duck & Goose), What's Up, Duck?: A Book of Opposites (Duck & Goose,) Duck & Goose, 1, 2, 3, Duck and Goose: How are You Feeling? (Duck & Goose), and Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin. A selection of these, er, charming little board books makes a great pre-Christmas or stocking-stuffer gift for any, er, totally adorable toddler you know.