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Scapegoat: The Story of a Goat Named Oat and a Chewed-Up Coat
In the Choat family, you never have to look hard to find a culprit. Missing TV remote? Blame the goat! Lost coat? Keys in the moat? Broken boat? Blame the goat!
But don't be surprised if the goat doesn't take it lying down. In this hilarious, rhyme-happy picture book, children will love to pore over the funny illustrations, picking up clues that all is not as it seems between Jimmy Choat and the goat, Petunia P. Oat. Because Petunia knows who's really to blame, and before long the whole family will too!
32 pages, Hardcover
First published June 21, 2011
1 person is currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
Dean Hale
53 books49 followersDean Hale is the first-time author of Rapunzel's Revenge, published by Bloomsbury in October 2008. He is married to children's author Shannon Hale.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 20, 2012
Unpleasant characters, unbelievably incessant rhymes and a plot arc that doesn't seem to accomplish anything. The main boy character who blames everything on the goat, is thoroughly unpleasant and nasty and doesn't own up to anything until the neighbor who speaks goat happens to translate. Makes the parents out to be very gullible, the child out to be a monster and nobody really learns that lying or blaming someone for their own doings might be a bad idea. It's not really pleasant or silly enough to be fun or ethical enough to be educational.
February 26, 2017
A boy who places the blame on anything that he isn't supposed to do on his pet goat. The goat tries to explain herself but unfortunately no one in the house speaks goat. The illustrations were amazing and the story was interesting. Would recommend.
April 10, 2019
Blaming the pet goat is what the owner, Jimmy Choat does for everything. A coat is missing? Blame the goat. Can’t find the remote? Blame the goat. In the mischievous life of Jimmy Chaot, his family, and the pet goat, Patsy live in the suburbs with a normal life. Although this book made me laugh; I was also frustrated with the constant back and forth between the boy and his pet goat. It went on and on just enough to annoy me. There were themes in this story of manipulation and lying; even when there was proof of Jimmy not doing the right thing in the illustrations. One thing I did admire in this book were the illustrations. In a cartoon looking illustrations; I was able to admire the fine detail that were made in order to convey the characters feelings. Students would be able to interpret the story and maybe really even feel a connection to Jimmy and his mischief but a critique I have of this story is that students and children in general should be reminded that it is always a good idea to the truth.
August 28, 2017
A funny, interesting, strange, and useful book. I enjoyed reading and it quickly became one of my favorites
October 3, 2018
Super cute, loved it.
September 21, 2021
Funny rhyming book about a boy that doesn't tell the truth...but does the goat?
June 9, 2025
I recommend for story time yes I do
July 9, 2011
Fun, clever, weird, and useful. Useful you say? Yes, useful. Every kid needs a goat to blame things on. And most of us adults need one too. This book will teach you how to effectively use that goat. (Note that effectiveness is not guaranteed for life.) Also useful if you ever want to list all the words in the English language that rhyme with "goat." Seriously, I am sure Mr. Hale did an exhaustive search. Which adds wonders for the humor of the book, if you are in the right mood. Gets a little tongue-twistery to read out loud, however. (By the way, Mr. Hale should have a competition to see if people can find true rhymes for "goat" that aren't used in the book.)
I, uh, *love* the ending.
I, uh, *love* the ending.
October 9, 2011
Time after time, the mischevious Jimmy Choat blames his misdoings on someone else, the family's pet goat. Patsy Petunia Goat tries to tell Jimmy's mother and father the truth, but they can't speak her language, and Jimmy gets away with murder. Petunia keeps getting blamed, and she grows angrier and angrier at the injustice of it all. When a kindly neighbor who speaks Goat finds Petunia with a shaved throat, the truth comes out, and Jimmy gets his just desserts. This book is filled with different versions of the whole story, all wrapped up in rhymes. Plus, it's great fun to read aloud. The digital painting and collage Photoshop illustrations reveal the escalating war between goat and boy, and readers will enjoy the expressions on the faces of both in this tale of good and bad behavior.
July 13, 2011
A silly story with more words than I would have thought on my own which rhyme with "goat." I certainly don't like the character of Jimmy. Quite a brat and I'm glad in the end someone understood Petunia so the truth could out. I love that Petunia's words don't rhyme. I like the very, very end, though--a fun smile. A bit of humor that makes me roll my eyes, but right up the alley for kids--especially boys. Probably be all right in a school-age storytime. Preschool, maybe. A very slight maybe.
My favorite part of the book would be the goat. But that really isn't too surprising.
My favorite part of the book would be the goat. But that really isn't too surprising.
December 23, 2012
**UPDATE** I love this book even more now. I ESPECIALLY love the pictures where there is goo in the mama's bag and Jimmy gets gas.
I went to my first book reading with Scapegoat. Dean, the person who wrote the story read it to us and a girl in the store showed up pictures. They even brought in a little goat. I got to feed and pet the goat in front of the book store.
I like it when Mama and Papa make goat voice when they read the goat's words. I also like to see the picture of green goo with the purse. I have my very own signed copy. :)
I went to my first book reading with Scapegoat. Dean, the person who wrote the story read it to us and a girl in the store showed up pictures. They even brought in a little goat. I got to feed and pet the goat in front of the book store.
I like it when Mama and Papa make goat voice when they read the goat's words. I also like to see the picture of green goo with the purse. I have my very own signed copy. :)
August 26, 2011
one of these tricky stories about telling the truth (or not). Will be great for pre-school and older kids who will totally get it, but holding off reading it to a little one until the idea of truth/lies is a more secure concept in their development might be a good idea. The goats indignant face throughout made me laugh aloud and the fact that when she spoke, it didn't rhyme was funny too. The surprise at the end was a clever way to end the story.
September 19, 2015
This is a very fun phonemic book. The book is filled with rhymes. The story is very funny and it creates interesting conversation about what is really going on in the story. Did the goat do the things or is the main character simply blaming the goat? Along with that this book could be very helpful introducing rimes. Goat, coat, boat, oat and many more help to illustrate and articulate certain phonemic rules. I like the balance between entertainment and educational purpose.
September 28, 2012
Cute little book about a boy who blames all the things he does wrong on the family's pet goat (get it -- scapegoat? Eh? Eh?). Until the neighbor, who speaks the language of goats, speaks up!
The art has a faux-retro feel, and is fun and bright.
This weird little story would make a pretty good read along for lower-elementary kids because of the heavy rhyming and sillyness of the story.
The art has a faux-retro feel, and is fun and bright.
This weird little story would make a pretty good read along for lower-elementary kids because of the heavy rhyming and sillyness of the story.
November 25, 2013
In the Choat family, you never have to look hard to find a culprit. Missing TV remote? Blame the goat! Lost coat? Keys in the moat? Broken boat? Blame the goat!
But don't be surprised if the goat doesn't take it lying down. In this hilarious, rhyme-happy picture book, children will love to pore over the funny illustrations, picking up clues that all is not as it seems bet
April 19, 2015
Wow, not a favorite. I had to seriously question what I was thinking putting this on hold. Turns out I didn't, my daughter grabbed it off a shelf. I have to say I really didn't need to know EVERY word that rhymed with goat but now I do. It got an extra star for "Who blew their nose in my tote?" With a visual. Ewwww hahahaha.... That was the highlight. Meds I say more?
August 6, 2016
so much fun! little boy keeps blaming a goat for everything he does wrong, until the truth is found out. the rhyming text is great and the pictures even more fun with the poor goat trying to tell the truth.
July 7, 2011
It's certainly quirky. My kids loved it!
June 23, 2011
LOVED this picture book! Great text and illustrations! My girls love it as well. I know it will quickly become a regular bed-time story.
June 28, 2011
You can't go wrong with goat stories. This is a cute little book with a surprise ending.
July 13, 2011
me thinks Jimmy got off light for all those bad deeds and lies.
July 21, 2011
This rhyming story about a boy who blames his seemingly-hapless goat for all of his own bad behavior has a fun plot and an ending that makes this a good read-aloud for preschoolers or kindergarten.
August 25, 2011
Adorable, fun, and with plenty of tongue twisters.
September 6, 2011
Fun book to read with kids. The author is Shannon Hale's husband (remember The Princess Academy?). We went to King's English bookstore for the book signing.
June 30, 2012
Great storytime book--hysterical.
October 9, 2011
If you can't say something nice...
October 12, 2011
How many words rhyme with goat? I think Dean Hale found them all.
December 24, 2011
Rhyme for the sake of rhyme and an unbelievable ending.
May 24, 2012
Hilarious! So much fun to read aloud, and both the 7yo and 3yo loved it!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews