Erin Dealey

We’re welcoming #Kidlit author Lezlie Evans to the blog today

to chat about her new, rhymed picture book,

GOATS AFLOAT

(Illus. Julia Patton / Two Lions).

About Goats Afloat

“An unexpected friendship takes the cake in this fun fairy-tale frolic.” *

―Kirkus Reviews
*More from Kirkus below.

“This [cleverly crafted] bouncy rhyme has plenty of new action: rapids, a capsized canoe, a dramatically sinking cake. The digital illustrations are dynamically composed and have plenty of details to notice…Trippity-trap your way to this book for storytime…and don’t take travel advice from goats. (They’re probably just trolling you.)” ―Horn Book Magazine

About the Author

Lezlie Evans is the award-winning author of numerous picture books. Recent books include Vroom, Vroom, Beep-Beep! and I’m a Feel-o-saur, both illustrated by Kate Chappell. Goats and kids are two of Lezlie’s favorite things, but she also loves to write, sing, act on the stage, and play pickleball. 

Let’s ask some questions!

Inspiration

Q 1. I see that you have eleven grandchildren. Were they possibly the inspiration for Goats Afloat?

Lezlie Evans: My children, and now my grandkids, have given me many story ideas and they have been instrumental in the creation of my books.

Goats Afloat is about five adventurous goats that want to take their Granny Goat a birthday present. In order to get there, they decide to go by canoe down the river instead of traveling over the troll bridge so as to avoid the troll that lives beneath. Needless to say, nothing goes well for these five goats.

When, at last, they show up at Gran’s door dripping wet, exhausted, and forlorn, she says something that is very reminiscent of what I would say to my grandkids:

“Nonsense! You’re my treat.

Now my birthday’s complete,”

My grandkids are the frosting on my cake of life — they truly make my life complete. And, yes, this book is dedicated to them because they are the G.O.A.T!

Rhyming Fun

Q 2. Was Goats Afloat always in rhyme? (I know most of my rhymed stories just seem to show up that way.)

Lezlie Evans: Yes, it came out that way. I’ve always loved word play and rhyming words. Rhyming texts are important as they add to predictability and are great for reading readiness.

Rhyming books also make great read-alouds (if they are well done)!

One of my favorite lines by Kirkus Reviews is, “…the energetic rhymes make for a bouncy, entertaining read-aloud choice.” That assured me that writing this one in rhyme was the right choice.

Favorites

Q 3. What’s your favorite character or scene in the book?

Lezlie Evans: I like when Fran, the littlest goat, who has been worriedly saying throughout the book, “This is NOT in the plan,” comes up with a solution for their latest problem near the end of the book.

Lezlie Evans: When the goats are dripping wet, cold, and dismayed that they do not have a birthday treat for Gran, Fran steps up and says, “No problem, I’ve thought of a plan!” She shows growth, and she comes up with a pretty funny idea, which is shown in the illustrations.

I don’t want to spoil the surprise, so you’ll have to get the book at any online or brick and mortar bookstore or your local library to find out.

Illustration Surprises

Q 4. What surprises did illustrator Julia Patton bring to the project?

Lezlie Evans: Julia’s artwork was lively, detailed, and ‘kid’ friendly (no pun intended, but I’m sure all the little goats out there would agree that she did an amazing job).

It’s always interesting to see how the pictures in my head match up with the artwork when an illustrator comes on board. Because the text is created first, I usually have an idea of how I picture each character and what the setting will look like. But when the illustrator sets out to create the artwork, an author must be careful not to dictate the details of the artwork – it’s the illustrator’s job to bring the characters to life.

Suffice it to say, I had high expectations as there is a lot going on in the text— the creation of a cake, a trip down the river, a beaver dam blockade, wild rapids, and a nearly overturned canoe. And Julia’s illustrations did not disappoint. In fact, they surpassed expectations!

Lezlie Evans: In the spread where the goats head into the roiling rapids (above), the water has texture and movement and the goats’ expressions are priceless.

I love how Julia brought these five adventurous goats to life, and, as Kirkus Reviews states, “Observant readers… may even catch sight of the adorable dejected, camouflaged bridge troll lurking behind the scenes.” on every page. That is a fun surprise! 

The Magic of Reading

Q 5. I read that you were a reluctant reader in grade school and developed a love of books in middle school, thanks to reading groups in Mrs. Hudsbeth’s 5^th grade class. What was it about that experience that helped you discover the magic of reading?

Lezlie Evans: We read books that captivated me and held my attention. If you have a child that doesn’t seem to like reading, please keep trying to find the right book for that child. Ask a children’s librarian as they are experts on putting the perfect title into a child’s hands. They know the best books.

When we went to a different planet with Meg and Mrs. Which, Mrs. Whatsit, and Mrs. Who, in A Wrinkle in Time (by Madeleine L’Engle), I discovered that books open wonderous doors to magical places. They can unlock the imagination and set a reader on a life-long love of reading.

Q 6. What do you hope readers will take away from Goats Afloat?

Lezlie Evans: I hope these resilient goats will help kids see that life doesn’t often go as planned. By staying calm and coming up with a new plan, you can overcome almost any obstacle.

Another great take away is the unexpected, surprise friendship at the end. Some people in life may appear mean, but often they are just friends waiting to happen. And I hope readers young and old will come away with a sore belly from laughing!

Boatfuls of thanks to Lezlie Evans for joining us on the blog today,

Happy (belated) Book Birthday to Goats Afloat (and Granny Goat!)

To learn more about Lezlie Evans and her books, check out her website: Lezlieevans.com

And follow her on Instagram @Lezlie_evans

and Facebook at Lezlie Peterson Evans

Next up on the blog:

We chat with Stacy S. Jensen in celebration of her DEBUT picture book,

Before I Lived Here

Illus. Victo Ngai (Neal Porter Books)

Happy Summer Reading!