Children’s Laureate Julia Donaldson gives an excellent simple and reassuring introduction to playgroup showing the fun it can be. Nick Sharratt’s bold illustrations capture the range of activities that goat could be enjoying with newly made friends – and how he also has his own, less group-orientated, activities.
A Piece of Passion from Ruth Austin, Junior Editor, Macmillan Children’s Books
I’ve always admired the liveliness of Julia and Nick’s work together and Suzanne Carnell – our publishing director and Julia’s commissioning editor – was generous enough to let me look after this book. I fell in love with the character of Goat from the moment I read Julia’s manuscript and as soon as I saw Nick’s drawings of a cheerful, cheeky little chap wearing a blue starry-patterned jumper that love was cemented. The story perfectly captures, with comforting warmth, all the highs and lows of a toddler’s day and most children will see themselves in this book and be reassured by it. The best way to describe Goat himself is ‘ebullient’, which is rather a grand adjective for such a little goat, but it’s the word I always reach for. He’s such a joyful and enthusiastic character, even though he gets into some awful pickles at playgroup (including the ultimate childhood trauma of wetting himself) whatever happens is soon made well, forgotten and by the next page Goat is sure to be smiling again.
Nick has deftly filled each page with subtle and familiar details, from the covers of the story books on the classroom shelves, to the children’s paintings on the walls and photographs of each character above their coat pegs – you can almost smell the poster paint, PVA glue and construction paper of your own childhood.
I hope you enjoy spending time with Goat at playgroup as much I did.