Flightless Goose: The Author Is Here!

Here's Eric D. Goodman answering a few questions about his book Flightless Goose.  Don't forget to enter the contest to win your very own hard copy!  This book would be wonderful to use in any elementary classroom.  All the teachers out there should definitely get their own copy of Flightless Goose.

Here's Eric:

As an elementary school teacher, I think Flightless Goose lends itself nicely to a discussion on anti-bullying.  Do you have any tips for young children on overcoming bullying?

Although I'm not an expert on bullying, I do think the best reaction to bullying is to ignore it.  Often, if they bully sees it's not bothering you, the bully will stop.  If that's not the case, and the bullying continues, it's probably a good idea to talk with an adult you can trust, whether it's a parent, older sibling, uncle or aunt, a teacher, or school counselor.

I know the story is based on a real life experience with an injured goose you found.  How long did you have him and where did that all take place?  

We lived on that lake for two years so we know the goose survived at least one winter alone, with the help of those of us in the neighborhood who fed him bread crumbs.  When we moved out of state, we didn't have an opportunity to revisit the goose again.  For all we know, he could still be sliding on the iced-over pond.

How long have you been writing children's books?  What are some of your others?

Flightless Goose was our first, and we started it about 10 years ago.  We are working on another children's book with an entirely different cast of characters.  But it will probably be a few years before it is ready for publication. 

In the meantime, I also write grown-up fiction and my debut novel in stories, Tracks, just came out last week.  So far the reviews have been good and it has gotten a lot of advance praise.  Tracks is set on a train headed from Baltimore to Chicago. Each chapter in the book is the story of a passenger on the train, and the stories link together as the strangers on a train touch one another in meaningful ways.  You can learn more about it, read excerpts, listen to radio readings, and more at www.TracksNovel.com.

Who or what inspired the common themes in Flightless Goose?   (bullying, overcoming adversity, disabilities, etc.)

These are all subjects Nataliya and I feel strongly about in general.  Everyone has the choice of focusing on the positive or the negative.  When we saw the real goose we thought it would be a great way to teach these important lessons, especially overcoming adversity, dealing with disability or difficult situations, treating others with dignity and respect, etc. 

What is your favorite children's book?  

I always loved the books of Dr. Seuss, Eric Carle, Shel Silverstein, and Maurice Sendek. It's hard to pick a favorite, but maybe The Giving Tree, Cat in the Hat, Yertle the Turtle, or The Sneeches.

Which children's authors have inspired you to become an author?

Dr. Seuss, Eric Carle, Shel Silverstein, and Maurice Sendek are my favorite childrens' book authors. 

Thank you so much for stopping by, Eric!  It was great hearing more about your book!  If you'd like to learn more about Eric, here are some of his links:


Writeful, a literary blog
Author of Tracks, a novel in stories

and Flightless Goose, a storybook for children

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win your very own copy!