PEARL'S LOST PEARLS

Losing something precious can be devastating.

The titular black-feathered, orange-beaked singing gosling introduced in Pearl (2024) adores the pearl necklace she wears every day, whether she’s swimming, serenading the bees, dancing, napping, or diving into the pond. “Pearl loves, loves, LOVES her pearls!” When she returns home after a busy day, Papa Goose notices they aren’t around her neck and asks where they are. Oh, no! They’re lost! Retracing her steps, Pearl searches everywhere; she’s tearful and heartbroken when she can’t find them. But friends Ruby and Rufus have also been diving in the pond. “Look what we found!” they call out gleefully as they swim toward Pearl with her beloved necklace. Guess who sings joyously at book’s end? This delightful charmer is expressed in short, clipped sentences, using simple vocabulary, allowing for easy, comforting listening for young audiences; many sentences are repeated, making this a fine choice for emergent readers, too. Children will empathize with Pearl’s loss, no doubt having misplaced valued belongings of their own, and will cheer at the book’s happy conclusion. Crisp, uncluttered illustrations are downright adorable and allow readers/listeners to focus on the action.

Like the titular necklace, a treasure.