The Canada Goslings: Lilly and Scooter: A Lesson Learned is a children’s picture book written by Patricia A. Thorpe. Lake Kristine in Wisconsin is the perfect place for Canada geese to spend the warmer seasons. They build their nests in the rushes that surround the shores of the lake and raise their goslings until it’s time to head south for the winter. Maude and Arnold are one such pair of Canada geese. Maude was a devoted parent after her eggs were laid. She left her nest only to feed and spent the rest of the thirty days until they hatched keeping them warm and covered. When their goslings reached ten weeks of age, it was time for Maude and Arnold to teach them to fly. Flying is complicated as it involves taking off from and landing on water. Geese work hard to get each gosling comfortable with the process. Their efforts were working for Maude and Arnold’s young flock, except for their one son, Scooter. Scooter didn’t think he’d ever be able to fly, but his best friend and nest-mate, Lilly, had something to say about that.

Patricia A. Thorpe’s animal fable, The Canada Goslings: Lilly and Scooter: A Lesson Learned, is a marvelous introduction to birds for young readers. They learn all about migration, nesting and raising goslings, but they also learn about dedication and not giving up even when things seem quite difficult. Thorpe’s story is beautifully told, and the illustrations are masterful -- panel after panel show Maude, Arnold and their children as they live by Lake Kristine. This is a grand selection for story time, but it’s also suitable for slightly more advanced new readers. The illustrations and simple vocabulary will encourage them to reach beyond their normal reading level, indeed, to try harder which is a lesson learned in a quite pleasant fashion. The Canada Goslings: Lilly and Scooter: A Lesson Learned is most highly recommended.

Maude and Arnold flew to Lake Kristine in Wisconsin every year for the warm climate. They raised several families over the years, and this year was no different. Together, they found a safe spot in a protected area to build a nest. Maude laid seven eggs, and soon there were seven small goslings. They learned to walk, swim and feed themselves. The hardest thing to learn, however, was how to fly. Scooter had a more difficult time than his brothers and sisters, but eventually accomplished the task too. In the children’s book, The Canada Goslings Lilly and Scooter: A Lesson Learned, written by Patricia A. Thorpe, a very important life lesson is imparted. Children will learn the importance of setting a goal, trying to achieve it even when it takes many attempts, and accomplishing it.

This story is relayed in a straightforward, direct way. The potential consequences of Scooter not achieving his goal (the family could not find food or be able to leave the area as winter approached) were outlined. The other family members encouraged him to succeed, and he did. The tone of the encouragement was not imparted in a scary or judgmental way, but rather in a loving, supportive manner. The author imparts wisdom for the child, siblings and parents. The illustrations in this book are exquisite and add a beautiful element to the book. Author Patricia A. Thorpe has written a valuable children’s book in The Canada Goslings Lilly and Scooter: A Lesson Learned. This book would be a wonderful addition to a child’s collection.

Canadian geese, Maude and Arnold, arrived in Wisconsin in March for Maude to lay her eggs on the shores of Lake Kristine, just like they had done before for many years. They built their nest and a week later Maude laid seven eggs, which hatched into goslings almost 30 days later. The young goslings have to learn to walk, swim, feed, and - most importantly - fly. One of Maude and Arnold's goslings named Scooter finds flying a difficult skill to master and he’s behind in the lesson compared to his brothers and sisters.

The Canada Goslings: Lilly and Scooter (A Lesson Learned) by Patricia A. Thorpe is a short informative picture book about Canadian geese and an inspiring tale for children about not giving up and to keep trying. It’s a well-known life lesson but an important one of which even adults need to be reminded. The Canada Goslings also explores the theme of familial bonds and helping others; Scooter’s sister, Lilly, encourages and helps him learn to fly. The illustrations are mostly subtle shades of colors but visually eye-catching nonetheless. The narrative is highly informative and entertaining for young readers and filled with many encouraging phrases such as “Try harder’, “I know I can do it”, and of course “Never give up and just keep trying!” All in all, this charming picture book from Thorpe is material that readers young and old will instantly connect with, and it elegantly emphasizes that it’s not quite about the setbacks but about persistence.

The Canada Goslings Lilly and Scooter: A Lesson Learned by Patricia A. Thorpe is a short children’s story that explains the life of geese. The parent geese, Maude and Arnold, protect their nest and begin the task of teaching their goslings how to do the things they must to survive in the wild. Lilly and Scooter are very close siblings. Lilly learns quickly but Scooter likes to play and have fun. How will he ever learn the things he needs to know to survive in the wilderness before the cold weather sets in? How can anyone get him to try harder?

The Canada Goslings Lilly and Scooter: A Lesson Learned by Patricia A. Thorpe is a wonderful children’s story that teaches the basic lesson to keep trying no matter how hard a task may seem. Thorpe plays to the imagination of children with geese that easily tell the story and teach youngsters never to give up, no matter what. I love how the characters function as a loving family unit and the plot describes the things geese have to learn in a playful way. The illustrations give an amazing and colorful display of a family of geese in their habitat as they live, learn and play together. I recommend this book to anyone with children and hope to see plenty more children’s stories about The Canada Goslings with Lilly and Scooter explaining the adventures of geese in a fun loving way that children can understand and learn from.