The Rockabilly Goats Gruff

February 1, 2014
From the first glimpse of the slicked-up pompadours and hot rods of the Rockabilly Goats, readers will know that they are in for a good time with this rock-'n'-roll interpretation of a classic tale. The three goat rockers--Billy Lee, Billy Joe and Billy Bob--are all on their way to a gig at Nanny May's Shimmy Shack when a grumpy old troll fishing for his dinner gets in their way. One at a time, the goats play their guitar, bass and drums, respectively, filling the pages with onomatopoeia ("DOONG, DOONGA, DOONG, DOWNG, DOWNG!"). To conquer the troll, they scoop him up into one of their trucks, take him to the Shimmy Shack, fill his hungry belly with barbecue and then win him over with their groovin' tunes. This picture book lives up to the excellent wordplay in the title with a whimsical storyline that keeps a solid beat. The amusing and expressive language makes this book an excellent choice for reading aloud, and the bright colors, exaggerated expressions and spot-on fashion details in the illustrations perfectly complement the text. The energy of the book will appeal to a broad audience--especially to music lovers. A snazzy, music-themed twist on a classic story that both children and adults will enjoy. (Picture book. 3-6)

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April 1, 2014

K-Gr 2-Complete with pompadour hairstyles and black T-shirts, the title characters are not the billy goats of yesteryear. Billy Lee, Billy Joe, and Billy Bob are a hip crew of rockers headed to a gig when they are stopped by a very "square" troll fishing for his supper. "'No go, billy boy. I'll stomp yer geetar to smithereens!'" They each bust out their best riffs to convince the snaggletooth killjoy to let them pass, but end up having to toss him in the truck to get to Nanny May's Shimmy Shack on time. After a heaping helping of "rib-stickin' barbecue," the troll changes his tune and has a thigh-slappin' good time in spite of himself. Filled with rock 'n' roll lingo, comic-style sound effects like "ZANG!" and "RAP, TAP, BOOMITY," and high-energy illustrations, this version of the classic tale will surely outshine some of the more straitlaced versions. Paired with some classic Elvis songs and maybe even some BBQ, Crosby's offering will liven up any unit on fractured folktales.-Jenna Boles, Greene County Public Library, Beavercreek, OH

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2014
A classic tale gets a rockabilly makeover. Three goats have to cross the bridge to get to their gig--"And the troll under that bridge? Man, was he a square." Guess who becomes the band's biggest fan? This book doesn't achieve depth but offers a good time and the illustrations are the right degree of caricaturish.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)