Review by Booklist Review
A series of rhyming nouns including stoat, boat, goat, coat, float, and moat combine with humorous action verbs such as rocked, rolled, wibbled, wobbled, tilted, and tipped to create a fun story celebrating the long-o sound of the oa digraph. The heart of this tale is that the stoat has a boat and the goat wants to float, but the stoat says no. They argue, they chase each other, they fall out of the boat, they find out that the stoat can't float but the goat can. The silly antics ultimately result in a true friendship, and the previously antagonistic pair travels together in the boat to have a wonderful picnic. Collage-style illustrations in bright saturated colors add visual appeal and track the path of the energetic text. If you can stand the chaos, the story would be a lot of fun for children to act out, since it is full of movement and opportunities for making predictions. An added attraction is the free inclusion of an audiobook, available through a QR code.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Lynas's cumulative narrative tells the raucous tale of a goat, a stoat, and their boat-size quarrel in this rigorously rhymed picture book. Introductions set the tone: "This is the goat/ in the colorful coat/ that saw the stoat/ that played in the boat." After the fashionable cud-chewer jumps, uninvited, onto Stoat's sailboat, havoc ensues until the pair's tussling causes them to fall overboard--naturally, into a moat. While Goat simply floats, Stoat flails anxiously. Luckily, the mustelid's rival makes a kind, friendship-inspiring suggestion: "A stoat can float ON a goat in the moat." Pop coloring and energetic spreads communicate the chaos of the encounter--as the two chase between the stern and bow, the tilting action requires the book be turned, as well. The unlikely crewmates' path to camaraderie makes for a gaily reiterative readaloud that's silly, and, eventually, sociable, too. Ages 4--8. (Apr.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--A happy stoat (also known as an ermine) is enjoying its time on a boat until the boat is spotted by a goat (who happens to be wearing a colorful coat) who insists on hopping aboard! What ensues is a humorous romp filled with rhyme as both the stoat and goat attempt to inhabit the boat. Lynas's text rolls off the tongue, creating a story that is a joyful tug-of-war between two endearing characters. Hunt's brightly colored, painted paper collage-style illustrations bring the story to life by shifting our orientation of the characters and the page, mimicking the rocking and wobbling of the boat. This is an excellent story for a read-aloud that will elicit laughter and participation, as well as a motivating text for early and developing readers. A QR code to access an audio reading of the book is included on the back cover. VERDICT A first purchase. Reminiscent of Dr. Seuss's Fox in Socks and Nurit Karlin's The Fat Cat Sat on the Mat, this story will have readers laughing while trying to keep up with the stoat and the goat.--Sarah Pousty
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Review by Horn Book Review
The story opens with a boat floating in the moat of a castle. In the boat, there is a stoat who "played / in the boat / and rocked / in the boat / and rolled / in the boat." Everything's great until a goat (wearing a bright yellow coat, naturally) jumps in the boat, also wanting to float. This book has a Seussian level of rhythm, rhyme, and repetition, which builds a boisterous, loopy energy. The illustrations see and raise this spirit in bold colors with few lines and a mixed-media look. The compositions begin with a wide field and then zoom in tight to heighten the tension when the duo starts bickering and tempers escalate. "This is a boat for a stoat / not a goat!" This book is funny, too -- particularly images of the goat with its round, stunned eyes and skinny legs akimbo. Eventually the fighting tips the boat. Once in the water, it becomes clear that the stoat can't swim, and the goat has a choice to make. This book makes for a dynamic read-aloud, but with its predictability, simple language, and repetition, this is also an excellent choice for new readers. Adrienne L. PettinelliMay/June 2024 p.122 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
In a castle moat, a stoat and a goat vie for control of a boat. A stoat is having fun in a small sailboat. A goat jumps aboard uninvited, to which the stoat responds, "This is a boat for a stoat not a goat." A struggle ensues as the two push and shove; readers will need to rotate the page to see the disastrous results. Even worse, after both animals are thrown off the boat, the stoat is unable to float in the water. When the goat allows the stoat to rest on its belly, all is put right. The goat saves the stoat and earns its friendship--along with joint ownership of the boat. "Now this is a goat and a stoat boat." The final scene shows the two enjoying a picnic by the castle. Lynas' verse is modeled after "The House That Jack Built": "This is the goat / that sat in the boat." "And this is the goat / in the colorful coat / that saw the stoat…" The rollicking rhyming text and bold illustrations in saturated pastels that look like cut paper make for an engaging read-aloud choice. A QR code on the back cover links to a free audio recording of the book. Winsome wordplay and rhymes make for steady sailing on this journey to friendship. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
