Over the Red-Brick Chimney
This heartwarming picturebook following Little Goose’s migratory adventure is a linguistic and visual delight for the young reader.
Little Goose’s journey takes a frightening turn when she is separated from her family in the harsh, wintry sky. Exhausted, she tumbles downward into the caring arms of Finn and his Mum who live in the house with the red-brick chimney. The rich warm inviting tones of their homestead evoke the kindness, care and friendship that Little Goose is offered there. She stays through winter to recuperate her broken wing.
Playful onomatopoeic language makes Little Goose’s excitement about her first migration tangible. Delicious words such as ‘fluppety flup’ immerse the reader in a sensory experience of her journey. Beautifully illustrated from Little Goose’s bird’s eye perspective, the images offer a vivid sense of what it is like to fly over mountains, cities and forests, evoking novelty and adventure.
Little Goose’s story explores relatable anxieties for the child reader. It addresses the panic of separation from loved ones and the sadness attached to saying goodbye. While the story effectively conveys the pain of separation, it also offers reassurance and hope in its depiction of the cyclical nature of life. Later, the seasonal cycle of migration enables Little Goose to reunite with her family on their return journey north. The following winter, when Little Goose passes over the red-brick chimney house she honks and waves at Finn, reassuring the reader that even when apart, the bonds of friendship endure.
