Goats, The

A boy and a girl are stripped and marooned on a small island for the night. They are the "goats." The kids at camp think it's a great joke, just a harmless old tradition. But the goats don't see it that way. Instead of trying to get back to camp, they decide to call home. But no one can come and get them. So they're on their own, wandering through a small town trying to find clothing, food, and shelter, all while avoiding suspicious adultsespecially the police. The boy and the girl find they rather like life on their own. If their parents ever do show up to rescue them, the boy and the girl might be long gone. . . .

BROCK COLE is the author of several highly acclaimed novels as well as the author and illustrator of many picture books, including Good Enough to Eat, Buttons, and Larky Mavis. He’s also the illustrator of George Washington’s Teeth, available from Square Fish. He lives in Buffalo, New York.
Of his first novel, The Goats, Anita Silvey wrote in a Horn Book Magazine editorial, “The Goats reaffirms my belief that children’s literature is alive and thriving.” Betsy Hearne, editor of The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, lauded it as “one of the most important books of the decade.”

“Brock Cole has written a gripping novel that is part survival story, part psychological drama, and part realistic problem novel, though these descriptions do not come close to conveying the conviction and the depth of the writing. . . . A significant addition to the body of children’s literature.”—The Horn Book, Starred Review
“A sensitive portrayal of that perilous time when young people are discovering their real strengths but must still bow to adult authority, a tale of underdogs triumphant, a powerful and beguiling story of survival and transformation.”—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
“Written with the mastery and sureness of a seasoned novelist, it is a gripping, startling and thought-provoking story about children who find inner strength when they are pushed to the edge.”—Publishers Weekly
“One of the most important books of the decade.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“A strong, well-blended story of modern day survival.”—School Library Journal