Based on a true story, this I Can Read book makes history immediate and exciting. The time is 1778, during the War for American Independence, and Letty's family must flee their New Jersey farm because the British soldiers are raiding for food. Letty cannot bear to leave behind her beloved goose, Solomon, and in desperation she leaves the soldiers a letter begging them not to harm her pet. When the family returns home, there's a note from the soldiers, who spared Solomon and hung a pouch around his neck with British pennies as payment for the other geese they ate. Beier's watercolor illustrations on every page express the child's experience: the terror of the war at home and the tenderness of the pet story. (Reviewed February 1, 1998)

In 1778, when young Letty and her family flee from approaching British soldiers, she leaves a note begging them not to hurt her beloved gander, Solomon. On their return, the family finds Solomon waddling about and wearing a sack of coins as payment for the geese in the flock that did get eaten. Based on a true event, Walker's retelling includes strong details and plenty of drama. Watercolors convey the period setting in somber muted tones.

The setting of this I Can Read is 1778, when British soldiers invade the American colonies, forcing Letty to leave behind the one possession she values most—her gander, Solomon. She places a note to the soldiers on the mantle, begging them to save the life of her bird. Her family piles into the wagon, and heads for the hills, to safety. Waiting is agony: From their hideaway with friends, Letty's family can hear gunshots, and see the smoke of burning houses; travelers' tales of plundering offer little reassurance. When Letty and her family finally return, their house has been ransacked, but it's still standing. On the mantle is a note, in verse, from the soldiers, who have spared Solomon's life and left a bag full of British pennies to pay for the geese they devoured. Along with the realistic watercolors, Walker maintains the inherent suspense of the story throughout; new readers will be glued to the pages right to the rewarding conclusion. (Fiction. 5-8)"