Photo by Jenny Pham
It’s never too early to start teaching values, and local journalist and author Allison Entrekin’s new book, The Goose Who Talked to the Wind, accomplishes that with a subtlety children won’t even notice. Targeted at ages 3 to 5, the 32-page illustrated story tells a tale of an unnamed goose who hears a message from the wind, guiding him to go in a different direction from his flock. Although he ignores it at first, something in the voice resonates with him and he off he goes in search of his true purpose. The Goose Who Talked to the Wind is a captivating story of courage with a rhythmic refrain that will have both children and adults thinking about it throughout the day.
An award-winning writer whose work has appeared in USA Today and Travel + Leisure, Entrekin wrote her first book, For the Love of Dogs: An A-Z Primer for Dog Lovers of All Ages, in 2013, but never set out to author a children’s book. As features editor for Atlanta’s sister magazine Southbound, her work takes her around the Southeast. It was on a trip to Pensacola, Florida, when inspiration hit. She shares her story below.
How did you come up with the story?
I was journaling outside by the water, and I saw a flock of geese flying in formation. Suddenly, one of them broke away and started flying in a different direction. I had this burst of creative energy. The entire story flowed from pen to paper, without me thinking or analyzing, adding, or deleting. As I wrote the final words, I got bubbles of excitement—it felt like a story I was meant to tell.
What is the message you’re trying to convey?
Something bigger than us is speaking to us. We don’t have to see it to hear it. We can tune in and follow its guidance, even when others don’t understand.
What about this story do you think appeals to people, young and old?
I truly believe every single person can relate to sensing a quiet voice of love and wisdom. We all know it’s much easier to ignore that…
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