The Goats

The Goats

Hardcover (Perfect Learning).

Author Brock Cole Published 1990-07-01 Type Fiction Genre Drama Themes Adventure, Childhood, Coming of age, Drama, Puberty, Runaway, Teen Age Group Teen

The Goats is a young adult novel by Brock Cole first published on 1990-07-01. Because the book describes child nudity (though not in a sexual way), bullying, and running away, it is often challenged in libraries. The book was adapted into a movie titled Standing Up.

The story follows two kids who are the victims of a cruel prank at summer camp, and their subsequent difficulties as they run away from the camp and try to survive on their own without any money or even clothes.

Personal

Own?	Mass-market paperback.
Read?	Mass-market paperback.
Finished	2000s.

My friend Jackie was going to sell her extra books to a used book store and asked if I wanted to take a look through any of them. This one caught my eye, and she gave it a pretty stellar review, so I took it, and boy am I glad I did because I absolutely adore it.

Review

Overall:

— This section contains spoilers! —

Good

• Howie and Laura are both very believable characters that, in my childhood, I could easily relate to.
• I continually felt both interested, worried, and excited through the whole book.
• I love that the book doesn't pull any punches on coming-of-age issues like pubic hair, menstruation, and the like.
• The occasional forays into the camp councilors and Laura's mom, keep the book exciting.
• Near the end, I really felt afraid for Howie and Laura, especially with the encounter with the police officer, and the final running away dilemma.
• I really love Laura's name, and how it's kept a secret.

Bad

• I know that the story takes place from Howie's perspective, but I wish a little more insight was given as to what was going on in Laura's head.

Ugly

• Nothing.

Media

• 

  Hardcover, USA, Perfect Learning.
  
  The painting of the desolate island is good, the layout is great, but it doesn't explain much about the book.

• 

  Paperback, USA, Square Fish.
  
  Great photo and graphic work, but it looks more like it should belong on Lord of the Flies.

• 

  Paperback, USA, Sunburst.
  
  This is just a terrible painting. What the hell happened to Howie's face? It just looks like the two are in their normal clothes hiding in someone's back yard.

• 

  Mass market, USA, Aerial Fiction.
  
  Interesting colorized photos. Kind of conveys the loneliness of the kids, but they don't look like they're a team.

• 

  Unknown, Unknown, Silverfish.
  
  Looks like Halloween clip art.

Representation

Strong female character?	Pass	Laura and her mother are both strong.
Bechdel test?	Pass	Laura and her mother talk multiple times in the book.
Strong person of color character?	Pass	There are several kids from the black camp who are really helpful and wise.
Queer character?	Fail	There are no queer characters.

Links

 

• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brock_Cole - Wikipedia - Brock Cole.