ADA AND THE GOAT, by Heidi Aubrey, Neal Porter Books, Aug. 5, 2025, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 4-8)
An unorderly goat makes life impossible for its human in Ada and the Goat, a picture book by Heidi Aubrey.
Ada doesn’t need the goat. She doesn’t want the goat. So why isn’t she happy when it leaves?
When Ada leaves town and moves into a fixer-upper cottage on a hill, she can’t wait to settle into a life of peace and quiet. She’ll wear a soft gray coat and grow perfect red apples, and everything will be just so.
Yet Ada’s lovely plans are soon dashed by a troublesome goat that hangs around long after she frees it from a tangle with a fence. Its antics undo her perfect new life piece by piece, until Ada snaps and sends the goat firmly on its way. Never again will it chase after her apples… or sleep on her porch… or nibble on her soft, gray coat. And suddenly, Ada isn’t so glad. What if it’s stuck in a fence again?
A triumphant reunion, complete with baby goats, concludes this tale of reluctant animal love. —Synopsis provided by Neal Porter Books
Ada and the Goat is filled with humor and heart. Little ones will love this story of a woman who wants things just so and the goat that won’t let her accomplish that. Parents will love the similarities between owning a goat and having a child.
Author-illustrator Heidi Aubrey’s energetic illustrations are full of excitement and silliness. Her episodic panels bring all the chaos — and love — to life.
This book is lots of fun.
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