Honkers

by Jane Yolen, Leslie A. Baker (Illustrator)

Staying at her grandparents' farm until her baby brother or sister is born, Betsy spends her time caring for three young geese until the time comes for her to return home and for the now grown-up geese to fly south for the winter.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1993

About the author

Jane Yolen was a novelist, poet, fantasist, journalist, songwriter, storyteller, folklorist, and children’s book author who wrote more than three hundred books. Her accolades include the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Awards, the Kerlan Award, two Christopher Awards, and six honorary doctorate degrees from colleges and universities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Born and raised in New York City, the mother of three and the grandmother of six, Yolen lived in Massachusetts and St. Andrews, Scotland.

Reviews

[Todd Strader · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Then he waved and waved as the train pulled out, until he was so small, Betsy couldn't see his hand from his jacket, his jacket from the station the station from the rest of the town. She clutched her silky blanket..." Jane Yolen will finish the story with the same type of phrasing but it will then be laden with all the sentiment of the intervening story. Yolen explores the pain of separation and a season of growth in young Betsy's summer with her grandparents. Jane Yolen is fast becoming one of my favorites. I loved the poetry of Nocturne and now the prose of Honkers.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s rather sweet but not especially memorable. A child is sent away to her Grandparents farm for the spring and summer as the mother is bedridden. She raises wild geese and says goodbye to them at the time she leaves to go meet her new baby sister.

[Kest Schwartzman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly lovely illustrations of a sweet cliche

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alissa was concerned that Betsy came home without her "silky" blanket.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to my daughters this afternoon. The main character annoyed me a little bit with her insistence that her grandfather call her by her full name instead of his term of endearment, "little bit", but that is most likely do to my annoyance with an event in our house this morning and not at all with the book. :)

The illustrations are soft and beautiful and the culmination of the story was very well done. My kids all thought this book was a lot like the movie "Fly Away Home" and it was in essence, not in essentials.

Is that possible?

A beautiful read with a good message well told.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is about a girl that goes to live with her grandparents because her mother is sick pregnant. She takes care of a goose after it hatches and helps it grow up and fly away. Then she returns home and meets her new baby sister. I love that she it doing what her mom is doing. I love that she learns to love something and then let it go. The pictures are beautiful too.

[Jim Sibigtroth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good 2nd grade read-aloud.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice "growing up" story.