Bloated Goat

Author: Manley Peterson
ASIN: B0044KM1CW
Publisher: Self Published
Source: Author for Review
Purchase Link: Bloated Goat

About the Book:
When Granny Hammy finds Bloated Goat face down in her front yard's drainage ditch, her grandson Cocky Doodle thinks nothing of it. In fact, he says that’s just another normal day for his best friend. But when they discover that Bloated Goat has little black Xs for eyes and is even more bloated than normal, they realize it is much more serious.

Join the fun in a wacky adventure filled with jewel thieves, a despondent wolf, an alligator gangster, a kingdom of hungry mushrooms, a shocking skunk wedding, and a mysteriously powerful chameleon known as Crazy Ned.

Review:
The Bloated Goat is an imaginative and humor filled story that keeps you guessing at the outcome throughout the entire book. It was interesting and fun to read about the different types of people, creatures and environments the characters encounter along the way during their quest. The title is full of boyish humor that makes this novel great for boys age’s nine to twelve. I specifically thought the title would be perfect for younger boys who may have a hard time reading or concentrating on a book. The writing style of the author is extremely easy to read and follow. It is sure to be a hit for readers of the nine to twelve age groups.

The story shows positive qualities, such as having friends who help each other, working together, and being considerate of others feelings. In the novel the reader encounters a character who takes something he finds without looking for the owner. The reader is left with the lesson that “finders’ keepers, losers’ weepers” is not the right attitude to have. This section of the book shows the reader what it feels like to have something you lost taken from you. It helps promote, in a way, the idea that you should attempt to find the owner before keeping something you find. The story was filled with values that are lightly instilled throughout the book if the reader is open to seeing them. This would be a good book for parents to enjoy with their children. I found plenty of opportunities to bring up discussion questions in regards to things that happen along the journey.

My least favorite part of this novel took place periodically throughout the story. The author pauses the story to remind the reader that they are reading a book. Phrases like “If this wasn’t a book…” or “because this is a story…” are disruptive. It takes the reader out of the story they have attached to interrupts the process of imagination. It was difficult to get back into the story after each section of text like this.

Overall this story had plenty of character, humor and charm that make it great for boys ages 9-12. If you know someone in this age group, I would recommend this title.