Editorial Review
A New York Public Library "100 Titles for Reading and Sharing"A Texas Lone Star Reading List BookA Josette Frank Award WinnerA Utah State Book Award WinnerA Utah Speculative Fiction Award Winner
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Customer Reviews
A real treasure to read! 
2008-05-06
Shannon Hale has proven to be a real creative, original and compelling writer. I was taken in by her storytelling, and completely sold by the characters! The Goose Girl is promising to be my favorite book of 2008. I couldn't put it down and when I finished it, I definitely wished there was more!
The Real Princess 2008-05-03
Goose Girl
By Shannon Hale
I loved the Goose Girl, for the well planned out characters, vivid imagery, smooth flow, and the continued suspense. This book had me hooked from the very beginning.
Ani was born a princess and was taught by her aunt to speak to swans. Her mother, the queen, found her to be a strange girl, who was awkward and uncomfortable with people. Her mother kept Ani inside the castle, so she could not talk to the birds and swans. Ani was not even allowed to associate with her own brother and sisters. She found solace in riding her horse, Falada, with whom she could communicate. She also enjoyed her best friend and lady in waiting, Selia. Selia had the gift of `people speaking', where Ani was best understood by the creatures.
The Queen Mother prepared Ani's brother for the throne. When confronted, she told Ani that she had prearranged her marriage to the prince of a far away kingdom.
Ani's lady in waiting schemed to take away the throne, marry the prince and kill Ani, along with all of her gurards. Ani, who had never before left the castle grounds, escaped with her life. She was exiled to live as a goose girl, taking care of the kings geese, while her lady in waiting lived as royalty.
Ani needed to disguise herself, and find allies to help regain her royal heritage and over throw the imposter, Selia.
There are bloody scenes, so the story would not be appropriate for younger children. This book will be delightful for the 6th to 9th grade level.
I highly recommend the Goose Girl and look forward to reading other books by Shannon Hale.
Good Teen Lit. 
2008-05-03
I thought this book was a bit simplistic in style, but it was still an enjoyable read. I wish it had been a bit more atmospheric. Between the updated, modern attitudes of the characters and the sparse descriptions, the book seemed much more modern that its intended setting. I liked it, but I felt like with a bit more effort, it could have been fantastic instead of just good.
Excellent read for all! 2008-04-10
This was the first book I read by Shannon Hale and since then I have recommended it to anyone looking for an enjoyable read. This is excellent for young and old, male and female. It is hard to find acceptable reading material for youth and this is outstanding!
Not just for YA readers.... 2008-03-17
Shannon Hale has committed a horrible sin; her re-telling of the Grimm "goose girl" is better than the original! The other two books in this series, Enna Burning and River Secrets, are also wonderful reads and bring back to life some of the lovable characters from goose girl.
Enjoy!
Absolutely Charming 2008-07-05
Shannon Hale struck gold with this book. It had a great story line and great characters. I literally couldn't put it down. It had plenty of fantasy as well as genuine characters whose problems you can relate to.
Courtesy of Mother Daughter Book Club.com 2008-07-02
Goose Girl by Shannon Hale is a delightful book that should get the approval even of readers who don't much care for fantasy. The concept of taking a known story like the fairy tale this is based on and creating a whole story-behind-the-story is very well done here.
Here are some of the discussion questions my mother-daughter book club touched on when we read it:
* How did Ani find the confidence to be the person she was supposed to be?
* Could she ever be a ruler like her mother?
* When did you start to think that Geric may not be a guard at the palace?
* How did Ani/Isi's experience being a goose girl help her become more confident?
* If you had written this book, what would you have changed about any part of the plot?
It's fun to read the Goose Girl then go right into the sequels, Enna Burning an River Secrets. It's interesting reading the series, because one book doesn't pick up where the one before left off. Instead they each build a new story based on a different main character, someone who may have been fairly minor in a different book.
Eloquent, beautiful, heart-warming 2008-06-20
If ever there was a world to find solace in, it is here.
The perfect fantasy book if there ever was one.
Wonderful 2008-06-08
This has to be one of my favorite stories. It is so close to a fairy tale.
A great story 2008-05-30
I got interested in this book through a friend who told me all about it. The tale is a retelling of Grimm Brother's Goose Girl, yet it is re-told with new. It is a good read and well written. I find myself telling the main character what to do in the different situations and dangers she must encounter to find her own talents in life. She must learn many things to become what she truly is ... a queen to guide and protect her own people. I believe this book is appropriate for teens and older. It will help to ease many of their fears of the future and help them with their own self-esteem. A great book if you like wholesome reading for your children and peace of mind for you.
Anna del C.
Author of "The Elf and the Princess"
The Elf and The Princess: The Silent Warrior Trilogy - Book One (The Silent Warrior Trilogy)
