Goat on a Tractor product reviews

Goat on a Tractor was a perfect choice for Miss Five and Mr Two because they live in the country and know how certain animals have their own personalities and idiosyncrasies. But Lily Goat takes goofy to a whole new level. She is the original hyperactive child who cannot stand being left with nothing to do. If there is nothing happening, she is forced to make her own enjoyment. And that is not always a sensible thing to do - especially when an inexperienced driver takes charge of a powerful tractor!

Both children loved the story, and although it was somewhat longer than the books they are used to, their attention was captured right until the very last page. At times, the narrative was funny, but then it would turn into a situation that was downright silly. This caused plenty of laughter! At the same time, there was an important moral to the story, that of helping others while taking responsibility for one's own actions - and being prepared to take the consequences. Indeed, Lily accepts that her behaviour was irresponsible and does her best to put things right.

The illustrations are a delight, sufficiently detailed to show what is going on, but not so complicated that a two-year-old could not make them out. There is a wonderful picture of Lily stranded on the part of the tractor that is still above water, while the other animals look on. Their expressions say it all; they are not impressed by Lily's selfish behaviour. The horse in particular is pulling a face that is absolutely priceless. If Lily had not realised the terrible mess she had made and the chaos she had caused, the other animals had certainly noticed.

The story is told in rhyme. This is a technique that is particularly useful for pre-schoolers as it makes the story more accessible with each subsequent reading. It is not long before the young reader is anticipating the next word to come at the end of a couplet. Onomatopoiec words like "thump" and "splash" add to the enjoyment as they really make the action come to life.

There is a lovely twist to the end of the story as Lily appears to have learned her lesson after putting everything right. She has done what she promised - fixing the things she has broken and restoring order throughout the farm. But, given her gift for getting into trouble, and her natural curiosity and love of adventure, the children wondered if her newfound behaviour modification might last. It appears that the author would agree!