Goats afloat

In this rhyming tale of goats going somewhere, the fun is in the journey. Five goats want to deliver a bouquet and a cake to Granny Goat for her birthday, but they hope to avoid the troll under the bridge. They cross the river by canoe instead, which of course brings mishaps of its own -- and perhaps they should have gone the traditional route, since it seems by the end that the troll wasn't so scary after all. The story will feel familiar to those who've heard the one about those three other goats, but this bouncy rhyme (cleverly crafted, with occasional meter missteps) has plenty of new action: rapids, a capsized canoe, a dramatically sinking cake. The digital illustrations are dynamically composed and have plenty of details to notice; red bubble letters for exclamations and sound effects and judicious placement of the text add even more visual interest. "They frosted and wrapped. / They plotted and mapped." And, in lines descending like a staircase, "Then / down / to / the / dock / they / trippity- / trapped." Trippity-trap your way to this book for storytime...and don't take travel advice from goats. (They're probably just trolling you.) Shoshana FlaxJuly/August 2025 p.68 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A family of goats paddle down the river in hilarious fashion in this lighthearted take on the "Three Billy Goats Gruff." On their way to deliver a birthday cake to Granny Goat, our spirited heroes carefully steer clear of the direct path, which would take them under the bridge where the fearful troll dwells. The bumpy journey down the river has many twists and turns, and the elaborate multilayered confection nearly meets a watery end. But the soggy goats arrive at their destination at last, and the day is saved--and so is the cake. A twist ending about the power of friendship will delight readers, who will realize that scary trolls aren't always what they seem. The lovable goats and energetic rhymes make for a bouncy, entertaining read-aloud choice. Expressive wildlife, funny details (the goats sport accessories and clothing), and colorful onomatopoeia bring this madcap adventure to life as the boat careens across the pages. Observant readers will notice whimsical signs--and wonder about the places they lead--and they may even catch sight of the adorably dejected, camouflaged bridge troll lurking behind the scenes. An unexpected friendship takes the cake in this fun fairy-tale frolic.(Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.