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Agatha's Feather Bed: Not Just Another Wild Goose Story
When children approach Agatha wanting to know the source of the beautiful fabrics in her weaving shop, she always recites a simple verse.
Everything comes from something,
Nothing comes from nothing.
Just like paper comes from trees,
And glass comes from sand,
An answer comes from a question.
All you have to do is ask.
Perhaps Agatha forgets her own advice, for one night her pleasant sleep is disrupted by six cranky, cold, naked geese. They want to discuss the source of the feathers keeping her so warm in her brand new feather bed. In a delightful O. Henry-inspired ending, Agatha arrives at a solution that benefits them all.
New York Times best-selling author Carmen Agra Deedy brings a delightful twist to the O. Henry story “The Gift of the Magi.” Also in Spanish, Agatha’s Feather Bed teaches readers to understand the delicate balance between our resources and responsibilities.
Everything comes from something,
Nothing comes from nothing.
Just like paper comes from trees,
And glass comes from sand,
An answer comes from a question.
All you have to do is ask.
Perhaps Agatha forgets her own advice, for one night her pleasant sleep is disrupted by six cranky, cold, naked geese. They want to discuss the source of the feathers keeping her so warm in her brand new feather bed. In a delightful O. Henry-inspired ending, Agatha arrives at a solution that benefits them all.
New York Times best-selling author Carmen Agra Deedy brings a delightful twist to the O. Henry story “The Gift of the Magi.” Also in Spanish, Agatha’s Feather Bed teaches readers to understand the delicate balance between our resources and responsibilities.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1991
About the author
Carmen Agra Deedy
34 books145 followersCarmen Agra Deedy is an internationally known author of children’s literature, a storyteller and radio contributor. Born in Havana, Cuba, she immigrated to the United States with her family in 1963 after the Cuban Revolution. Deedy grew up in Decatur, Georgia and currently lives in Atlanta and has three daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
January 30, 2009
More fun word play and puns that will make you smirk and think "wow, did she *really* just say that!? but, yet, how clever of her!" This book might make your children ask lots of questions, since it deals with where things come from (i.e., silk from silkworms, feathers from geese... ivory from elephants!) so be ready to be thoughtful after this one!!!
In terms of illustrations, I loved that there were cats in pretty much every scene and the borders with the silkworms/silk, cotton/yarn changeovers were cool--but I thought Agatha was really a bit too witch-like for my own liking. I'd have preferred a more cozy-grandma, but, then she is a bit eccentric, so...!
In terms of illustrations, I loved that there were cats in pretty much every scene and the borders with the silkworms/silk, cotton/yarn changeovers were cool--but I thought Agatha was really a bit too witch-like for my own liking. I'd have preferred a more cozy-grandma, but, then she is a bit eccentric, so...!
February 16, 2018
Great story. The theme that everything comes from something is a great concept to teach children. I actually didn’t know that linen came from flax. The puns! Ha! They kept coming...like flying geese! Lol. Even my 11 year old noticed.
August 14, 2015
SUMMARY: Professional storyteller Carmen Deedy spins a riotous morality tale in Agatha's Feather Bed. Agatha, a weaver, orders a new feather bed from B.B. Lean, then six shivering, naked geese pay her a visit . . . but, as it turns out, her goose isn't cooked.
REVIEW: This rollicking delightful children's tale written in the spirit of The Gift of the Magi will delight young children especially those who are at the What and Why stage. The author's clever solution to Agatha's problem is sweet and endearing and will definitely entertain young readers.
REVIEW: This rollicking delightful children's tale written in the spirit of The Gift of the Magi will delight young children especially those who are at the What and Why stage. The author's clever solution to Agatha's problem is sweet and endearing and will definitely entertain young readers.
December 31, 2015
"Everything comes from something,
Nothing comes from nothing.
Just like paper comes from trees,
And glass comes from sand,
An answer comes from a question.
All you have to do is ask."
Oh, I loved this one - as predicted since it's one of my friend Teri's favorites. I look forward to using it during a school tour or with a school group. Clearly written by a storyteller this one has a great flow, and the illustrations work perfectly to be able to talk about where things come from, and perhaps consequences. This one is magical.
Nothing comes from nothing.
Just like paper comes from trees,
And glass comes from sand,
An answer comes from a question.
All you have to do is ask."
Oh, I loved this one - as predicted since it's one of my friend Teri's favorites. I look forward to using it during a school tour or with a school group. Clearly written by a storyteller this one has a great flow, and the illustrations work perfectly to be able to talk about where things come from, and perhaps consequences. This one is magical.
September 27, 2017
I was all ready for this to be super charming, along the lines of Aunt Isabel Tells a Good One perhaps--and illustration-wise, it is super charming. The drawings are beautiful, and each full-page illustration is framed by a pair of smaller things explaining connections (oyster--pearl, coal--diamond, that sort of thing).
But then it got weird: the story itself is about six geese blaming this shopkeeper for her new featherbed having stripped them bare. What? I don't really want kids to be afraid of getting new things lest the previous owners of renewable items break into their room at night and demand retribution. That would have completely freaked me out as a kid. Non-renewable things like ivory I could understand--here's a lesson in not poaching for decoration. But even the geese say at the end that feathers grow back, so why are they stalking this old lady?
It's also littered with bird-based puns, which may be fun to adults in an eye-rolling sort of way but I have the feeling would be super confusing for kids. Wordplay is just a bit much when you're six. Also, this felt a lot like the Irish tale of spinning shirts for swans except without any of the emotional impact or, really, beauty, so I super don't know what the point of this book actually is. (Also, for a heartbreaking adult version of the swan thing, go read Daughter of the Forest. Prepare to be emotionally broken in half.)
The general moral of the book is "everything comes from somewhere" in a "be aware of resources" kind of way, but it just fell flat for me. As both a kid and an adult, I feel less like I need to be kind and grateful to the plants and animals by whose fur/feathers/materials I am able to live and more like I need to put sturdier locks on my window and never buy anything again.
But then it got weird: the story itself is about six geese blaming this shopkeeper for her new featherbed having stripped them bare. What? I don't really want kids to be afraid of getting new things lest the previous owners of renewable items break into their room at night and demand retribution. That would have completely freaked me out as a kid. Non-renewable things like ivory I could understand--here's a lesson in not poaching for decoration. But even the geese say at the end that feathers grow back, so why are they stalking this old lady?
It's also littered with bird-based puns, which may be fun to adults in an eye-rolling sort of way but I have the feeling would be super confusing for kids. Wordplay is just a bit much when you're six. Also, this felt a lot like the Irish tale of spinning shirts for swans except without any of the emotional impact or, really, beauty, so I super don't know what the point of this book actually is. (Also, for a heartbreaking adult version of the swan thing, go read Daughter of the Forest. Prepare to be emotionally broken in half.)
The general moral of the book is "everything comes from somewhere" in a "be aware of resources" kind of way, but it just fell flat for me. As both a kid and an adult, I feel less like I need to be kind and grateful to the plants and animals by whose fur/feathers/materials I am able to live and more like I need to put sturdier locks on my window and never buy anything again.
July 27, 2021
This is a sweet tale about the origin of things. The narrative is engaging and the illustrations include many examples of items and the primary resource used to create each one.
interesting quote:
"Everything comes from something,
Nothing comes from nothing.
Just like paper comes from trees,
And glass comes from sand,
An answer comes from a question.
All you have to do is ask."
interesting quote:
"Everything comes from something,
Nothing comes from nothing.
Just like paper comes from trees,
And glass comes from sand,
An answer comes from a question.
All you have to do is ask."
December 23, 2023
Agatha spins beautiful things and sells them in her shop. Since she works hard, she indulges herself with a new feather bed. During the first night with the new mattress, she is visited by the geese who involuntarily gave those feathers. Agatha makes a deal with them that she will make them something to compensate, and she does.
February 4, 2022
Carmen Agra Deedy is a great storyteller. She weaves many a pun throughout "Agatha's Feather Bed." The pictures by Laura L. Seeley are captivating. I'm still not sure how many cats Agatha has, but I know a lot more about where things come from. A timely read for all ages.
April 14, 2024
This is one of my all time favorite children's books. It stresses "everything comes from something," and that everything has a cost. As a children's librarian for a number of years, I read it to kids at least yearly. Beautiful illustrations and an important message. Love all the cats!
March 1, 2025
The story started great, but some things pulled me out. Like the geese using the credit card. I wish they kept it a bit more primitive; I feel it would have gone better with the tone of the book. I love the concept of thinking where our products come from.
October 24, 2017
Love this book! -lots of idioms, puns, etc. -a beautiful story of give and take- sharing, caring, resourcefulness, sacrifice for others...
November 21, 2018
Beautifully illustrated children's picture book. Full of information, cleverly included in the story. Young children should derive hours of entertainment from this book. Highly recommended.
February 27, 2020
Delightful!
April 12, 2021
Great to read this introduction to Carmen Deedy again. We were fortunate at my school to have Carmen visit in the early 1990s promoting “Agatha’s Feather Bed” and her storytelling skills.
September 3, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed this - charming (information) story - lovely message. Illustrations are wonderful.
March 20, 2024
Some of the most brilliant word play you can find and a gorgeously illustrated story. Carmen Agra Deedy is a treasure.
February 26, 2015
Personal Reflection
This book is great to tell because it appeals to everyone. I wrote a whole essay on this, so I could say a lot, but one thing to keep in mind is that this book is riddled with puns and great illustrations. The theme of this book deals with origin, and the main character, Agatha, tells the reader about how everything comes from something. The reader soon finds out Agatha has to experience her own moral on origin.
Purpose: Read aloud for enrichment and enjoyment
Children in first to third grade would primarily enjoy this story. The overarching theme is the origin of things, so it’s important to pose specific questions as you read along. For instance, as you read the story, Agatha goes on and on about certain items and where they come until one specific night someone knocks on her window… who could it be? Agatha lives up to her life motto, and when the 6 geese show up at her window, they explain to her that the feathers she uses in her blanket didn’t grow on trees, they came from their own bodies; so this book brings up the idea of treating people as you treat them (an important motto to maintain in a classroom.)
Literary Elements
Children at this age are building a strong vocabulary. These are important times to start practicing and incorporating words they don’t understand into stories they are guaranteed to love!
Round characters -- Agatha is fully developed. The illustrations lead the reader through her lifestyle, and her use of words give an insight to her mind for the readers.
Perfect for discussion and where we think other things come from
This book is great to tell because it appeals to everyone. I wrote a whole essay on this, so I could say a lot, but one thing to keep in mind is that this book is riddled with puns and great illustrations. The theme of this book deals with origin, and the main character, Agatha, tells the reader about how everything comes from something. The reader soon finds out Agatha has to experience her own moral on origin.
Purpose: Read aloud for enrichment and enjoyment
Children in first to third grade would primarily enjoy this story. The overarching theme is the origin of things, so it’s important to pose specific questions as you read along. For instance, as you read the story, Agatha goes on and on about certain items and where they come until one specific night someone knocks on her window… who could it be? Agatha lives up to her life motto, and when the 6 geese show up at her window, they explain to her that the feathers she uses in her blanket didn’t grow on trees, they came from their own bodies; so this book brings up the idea of treating people as you treat them (an important motto to maintain in a classroom.)
Literary Elements
Children at this age are building a strong vocabulary. These are important times to start practicing and incorporating words they don’t understand into stories they are guaranteed to love!
Round characters -- Agatha is fully developed. The illustrations lead the reader through her lifestyle, and her use of words give an insight to her mind for the readers.
Perfect for discussion and where we think other things come from
February 22, 2015
Personal reflection – This is a pun-filled, fun-filled book. All age groups can appreciate the humor. The main character, Agatha, is known for being a wonderful lady that loves working in her little fabric shop and teaching children all about where things come from. She takes is so far as to imply that even knowledge comes from asking questions. Agatha loves to tell stories and teach lessons. One day she must adhere to her own teachings about how ‘what goes around comes around.’
Purpose – Read aloud (1st – 3rd grade)
Curriculum – Because I actually wrote a paper on this book, I could list a ton of ways that this book could be used in the classroom. The main ones would be to teach children that “everything comes from something.” It is important to ask some questions and pay attention to detail so that you can effectively problem solve and get answers. Treat others the way you wish to be treated. Look up vocabulary words that you are not familiar with and then find fun and creative ways to use them. And finally, look closely at the pictures because you just might find clues or even answers to the problem at hand. Since this book is riddled with puns, wordplay, and idioms, this would serve as an excellent example to drive home the meaning behind what each of these things mean in writing.
Purpose – Read aloud (1st – 3rd grade)
Curriculum – Because I actually wrote a paper on this book, I could list a ton of ways that this book could be used in the classroom. The main ones would be to teach children that “everything comes from something.” It is important to ask some questions and pay attention to detail so that you can effectively problem solve and get answers. Treat others the way you wish to be treated. Look up vocabulary words that you are not familiar with and then find fun and creative ways to use them. And finally, look closely at the pictures because you just might find clues or even answers to the problem at hand. Since this book is riddled with puns, wordplay, and idioms, this would serve as an excellent example to drive home the meaning behind what each of these things mean in writing.
January 28, 2012
Agatha owns the kind of shop that I love. It's full of creativity, texture, depth and softness. One day she treats herself to an early night in her NEW feather bed - it's warm, soft, big and comfortable. When she is awakened by 6 freezing cold, naked geese she's reminded that the feathers in her new bed came from somewhere and she decides to make it up to the geese somehow. She sends them away and a few days later they return to Agatha to find out how she is going to help them.
The illustrations in this book are wonderful - they're detailed, busy, full of activity and you can easily do a 'seek and find' with your child. Each picture in the book has a border and 2 mini pictures that show a form of fuel or an item that we use from nature - you'll see things like "fossil fuels", syrup, dairy products, fragrances, glass, diamonds and more.
I strongly recommend Carmen Agra Deedy's books for any family, school or library - they'll be well read and loved by all!
The illustrations in this book are wonderful - they're detailed, busy, full of activity and you can easily do a 'seek and find' with your child. Each picture in the book has a border and 2 mini pictures that show a form of fuel or an item that we use from nature - you'll see things like "fossil fuels", syrup, dairy products, fragrances, glass, diamonds and more.
I strongly recommend Carmen Agra Deedy's books for any family, school or library - they'll be well read and loved by all!
January 21, 2015
This is by far my favorite children's book. I've read hundreds of children's books, or had them read to me, and none of them come close to matching the love I have for this book. Don't ask me what hooked it so deeply into my heart, because I really couldn't tell you.
This book is full of delightful puns, and the illustrations are beautiful. Even adults can enjoy re-reading this book, either just because it's delightful or because it's being demanded by the children in your life!
One of my favorite points is that there's a way to draw up to three children into interacting with the book - in much the same way that you can find the mouse in every picture of Goodnight Moon, there are hidden things to discover in each full page illustration of Agatha's Feather Bed. Easter eggs, if you will. ;)
This book is full of delightful puns, and the illustrations are beautiful. Even adults can enjoy re-reading this book, either just because it's delightful or because it's being demanded by the children in your life!
One of my favorite points is that there's a way to draw up to three children into interacting with the book - in much the same way that you can find the mouse in every picture of Goodnight Moon, there are hidden things to discover in each full page illustration of Agatha's Feather Bed. Easter eggs, if you will. ;)
May 8, 2012
This is a great story for inquiry, the basis of all knowledge gathering. I really enjoyed the solution that Agatha came up with for treating her goose friends fairly without giving up on what she had worked so hard for. It's also a story of personal sacrifice for the good of others. I enjoyed it. I really enjoyed the illustrations, full of intricate details that an observant reader would catch. The naked geese covered in goose pimples were all very comical and enjoyable.
July 30, 2015
This is a children's book I read to some small children I was babysitting. It is about a lady named Agatha who has a little shop where she sells colorful cloth that she weaves. She also tells great stories. She went home to her new feather bed but she dreams 6 naked geese came and asked where their feathers were. So she made them fleecy coats from her long hair. This is a very cute story. The illustrations are very nice also.
November 14, 2008
Always a favorite of mine, I love the beautiful illustrations. This book also teaches that what we take from animals we must also give back. I would use this book when discussing animal science or awareness for animal rights. I would also encourage the children to find ways to give back to the animals that we take from.
June 16, 2008
I love this book because it shows the true spirit of giving and sharing. The illustrations were magnificent! If every nation around the world lived by the example in the book, the world would be a much better place for all of us!
December 6, 2010
This book is really cute. It is about knowing where things come from and being sympathetic to others. An older lady buys a feather bed. The Ducks/geese that the feathers came from come back to haunt her. She then does something for them.
April 3, 2009
My daughter LOVES this book. It's an every night read.
December 16, 2010
geese, feathers, environmental awareness, fabric, renewable resources
March 22, 2012
Loved this childrens book and read it multiple times to my kids when they were much younger. I kept it to read to my Grandchildren.
December 3, 2012
This strange little book is a great story to teach cause and effect. It also is a good story to be used to teach that "everything comes from something" as stated in the story several times!
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November 25, 2013nice good book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews