State Library of Queensland

 

Children's book week / 2001 / activity pack

  THE GAME OF THE GOOSE by Ursula Dubosarsky & illustrated by John Winch

Contents

 

Thrown together by chance, three neighbourhood children become obsessed with a strangely intricate old board game that engulfs them in a world of fantasy and a journey of self-discovery. Fred, Rowley and little Rabbit are transported into three bizarre interlinked worlds where reality is turned on its head. Short sharp chapters that leap from one child to another as their different paths converge, make this a good read! Great for upper primary school readers. 

Themes:
  • board games,
  • fantasy,
  • cooperation

Display Ideas

Display of old board games from a local collector in your community, or library staff’s childhood games. 
Ask your local toy store if they would like to display the latest board games in the library.
Oversize board game on the floor of the library, where children are the "pieces". This would look good in the library foyer, or perhaps children must make their way through the game to get to a book display or the library counter!   A simple game idea: [Hint: if the game is placed near the borrowing counter, this kind of activity does not need direct supervision. In this way, the game can be played at any time.]
  • Tape a path of squares (or other shapes) onto the floor which leads to a destination, eg. Book display, library counter, children’s area, etc.
  • Have oversized dice with pictures of fantastical creatures, including a goose

  • Players must throw a ‘goose’ to proceed to the next square
  • When they finish the game, their prize could be a stamp on their hand, bookmark, booklist, activity booklet, lolly, simple face painting eg. "magic fantasy glitter" – body glitter dabbed on their cheeks, etc.

Activity ideas

Host a games night where children and/or teenagers are invited to supper (eg. pizza, chips, coke), and then play games such as, Twister, Monopoly, Scrabble. 
After school activity: Take this opportunity to advertise games you have available for use in the library. Display a list of games in the library, local schools, shopping centres, PCYC and other community areas where children go. 
Hold a chess competition.

 

Author Profile: Ursula Dubosarsky

Ursula DubosarskyThis profile was taken from www.penguin.com.au
Photo Credit: Steve Ladiges, 1996

Biography

Ursula Dubosarsky was born in Sydney in 1961. After studying several languages at university, she taught French to primary school children. She then travelled to Israel where she spent one of her most memorable years on a kibbutz, living as part of a cosmopolitan society in a rural environment. With several award-winning books to her credit, Dubosarsky has established herself as an exciting and talented author of books for young people.   

Books by Ursula Dubosarsky 

  • Aussie Bites: The Even Stranger Adventures of Isador Brown 2000 
  • Aussie Bites: The Strange Adventures of Isador Brown 1998 
  • Aussie Nibbles: Fairy Bread 2001 
  • Aussie Nibbles: The Two Gorillas 2000 
  • Black Sails, White Sails 1997 
  • Black Sails, White Sails 1998 
  • Bruno & the Crumhorn 2000 
  • The First Book of Samuel 1998 
  • The Game of the Goose 2000 
  • Honey & Bear 2000 
  • The Last Week in December 1993 
  • My Father Is Not a Comedian! 1999 
  • The White Guinea Pig 1997 
  • Zizzy Zing 1998

Fantasy Booklist

Junior Fiction 
  • Doom child / AARON, Moses 
  • Man dragon / AARON, Moses 
  • Skellig / ALMOND David 
  • Well wished / BILLINGSLEY, Franny 
  • Dragon's dance / BUCK, Anna 
  • Billy Thunder and the night gate / CARMODY, Isobelle 
  • Horatio happened / CAVE, Kathryn 
  • Heroic feats / CHAPMAN, Andrew 
  • Lost city / CIENCIN, Scott 
  • The game of the goose / DUBOSARSKY, Ursula 
  • Why did the Chykkan cross the galaxy? / D’ATH, Justin 
  • Midnight blue / FISK, Pauline 
  • Tajore Arkle / FRENCH, Jackie 
  • The centre of magic / FREEMAN, Pamela 
  • The willow tree's daughter / FREEMAN, Pamela 
  • Ferren and the angel / HARLAND, Richard 
  • CBD / HEFFERNAN, John 
  • Harry the Honkerzoid / HOOK, Brendan 
  • The tower on the rift / IRVINE, Ian
  • A shadow on the glass / IRVINE, Ian 
  • Alberta: the abominable snowthing / KRAILING, Tessa 
  • The five fingers and the moon / KURT, Kemal 
  • The poppykettle papers / LAWRENCE, Michael 
  • The changeling sea / MCKILLIP, Patricia A. 
  • The adventures of sparrowboy / PINKNEY, Brian 
  • Lily Quench & the dragon of Ashby / PRIOR, Natalie Jane 
  • ZinderZunder / RIDLEY, Philip 
  • Rowan and the Zebak / RODDA, Emily 
  • The forests of silence / RODDA, Emily 
  • The Lake of Tears / RODDA, Emily 
  • City of the rats / RODDA, Emily 
  • The Shifting Sands / RODDA, Emily 
  • Dread Mountain / RODDA, Emily 
  • Moxiana / STEPHENS, Michael King 
  • Coker's sword / STEPHENS, Michael 
  • A flock of blats / STEPHENS, Michael 
  • Dragon tales / TAYLOR, Keith 
  • Beyond the pale / WEATHERALL, Peter 
  • The thunder egg / WHITEHEAD, Ann 
  • Molly meets... / WILLIAMS, Islwyn   
Classic Stories 
  • Thumbelina / ANDERSEN, Hans Christian 
  • Peter Pan / BARRIE, J. M 
  • Alice's adventures in Wonderland / CARROLL, Lewis
Teenage Fiction 
  • The Andalite chronicles / APPLEGATE, K.A 
  • The keeping place / CARMODY, Isobelle 
  • Obernewtyn / CARMODY, Isobelle 
  • Dreamwalker / CARMODY, Isobelle 
  • Shadows / HARRIS, Christine 
  • Masks / HARRIS, Christine 
  • Suspicion / HARRIS, Christine 
  • Jigsaw / HARRIS, Christine 
  • Marlfox: a tale of Redwall / JACQUES, Brian 
  • Outcast of Redwall / JACQUES, Brian 
  • The pearls of Lutra: a tale of Redwall / JACQUES, Brian 
  • White time / LANAGAN, Margo 
  • Tales of the catwings / LE GUIN, Ursula 
  • A dark winter / LUCKETT, Dave 
  • A dark victory / LUCKETT, Dave 
  • A dark journey / LUCKETT, Dave 
  • Red city / MASSON, Sophie 
  • Cold iron / MASSON, Sophie 
  • The green prince / MASSON, Sophie 
  • Bill the inventor / NIX, Garth 
  • The house of many rooms / PRYOR, Michael 
  • The book of plans / PRYOR, Michael 
  • The Unmaker / PRYOR, Michael 
  • The amber spyglass / PULLMAN, Philip 
  • I was a rat: or, The scarlet slippers / PULLMAN, Philip 
  • The subtle knife / PULLMAN, Philip 
  • Northern lights / PULLMAN, Philip 
  • Under the cat's eye / RUBINSTEIN, Gillian
Picture Books 
  • Ziggy piggy and the three little pigs / ASCH, Frank 
  • Willy the dreamer / BROWNE, Anthony 
  • How to live forever / THOMPSON, Colin  

Online Board Game and Traditional Games Websites

 

Last reviewed and updated 1 September 2004