From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2--Gorbachev's amiable animal characters return, this time to discuss the perils of traveling. When Pig reveals his desire to take a big trip far away, Goat asks how he will get there. Unfortunately, for every wonderful mode of transportation that Pig suggests, Goat imagines some dire consequence. Pig could fall off a bike, get thrown by a jumpy horse, or be stuck in a dark railroad tunnel. Cars break down, plane engines fail, and ships encounter all sorts of dangers. Goat's musings reach a crescendo when he describes how Pig could end up on a deserted island and be forced to face a pirate invasion all alone. Poor Pig concludes that he should not go anywhere. Finally, Goat reveals his desire to be included by suggesting that big trips are less scary when you go with a friend. An upbeat ending and the charming pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations relieve some of the negative tension generated by the text; still, after such an overwhelming litany of potential disasters, it seems likely that Pig and Goat will just stay home.
--Teri Markson, Stephen S. Wise Temple Elementary School, Los Angeles Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PreS-Gr. 2. When Pig tells his friend Goat that he's planning a trip, Goat asks, "How will you go?" Each time Pig proposes a different means of transportation, Goat suggests a new misadventure that might befall him: cars can break down, horses can be jumpy, donkeys are stubborn, and ships can fall prey to fog, storm, collision, sharks, pirates. When Pig becomes too scared to go anywhere, Goat tells him that the
only way to go is with a friend. There's something of a fable in this little tale. Children will enjoy imagining the catalog of calamities, for even the grave outcomes are handled lightly, with a comic touch in both story and artwork. The reassuring conclusion will strike a chord with them as well. The illustrations, breezy ink drawings glowing with watercolor washes, add greatly to the fun.
Carolyn PhelanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
