Goats, Paperback

Here, in a comprehensive, practical, and extremely readable volume, an author-artist whose many nature books are favorites with children gives an absorbing account of goats-the countries from which they came originally, the merits and characteristics of the major breeds, the reasons why they are especially valuable to us, and the methods of raising them for pets or for profit. He describes the most scientific way to house, feed, and care for either a herd of goats or for a single goat. In addition to practical information on raising goats, Mr. Bronson gives fascinating background material about them and their place in history. The reader discovers, for instance, that traces of some of the early legends and superstitions about goats are still to be found in our language today. From Pan, the half-goat god of the ancient Greeks who had the mischievous habit of startling travelers in lonely places, comes our word "panic." Then we learn that in pagan times communities would confess their sins annually to a goat, which was later allowed to escape to the wilderness, supposedly taking the sins with it; hence our word "scapegoat." In his simple, inimitable style, known to many readers through such books as "Cats," "Starlings," "Coyotes," "The Wonder World of Ants," "The Grasshopper Book," "Horns and Antlers," "The Chisel-Tooth Tribe," and "Turtles." Mr. Bronson provides a humorous and informative text, enhanced by detailed drawings on nearly every page. Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson wrote his first book at the age of eight. Called "Animal People," it started like this: "This book is for children who are interested in animals and birds. It has verey good pictures in it and children can understand it verey easily." He later learned to spell, and wrote and illustrated over twenty books for children with "verey good pictures" that they could understand. Young readers everywhere are glad he did.