Also illustrated by Michael Slack: Knuckleheads Scapegoat: The Story of a Goat Named Oat and a Chewed-Up Coat by Dean Hale, illustrated by Michael Slack Ages 4-8 32 pages Bloomsbury USA June 2011 Hardcover     This humorous tale takes readers into the Choat household. The family owns a goat named Patsy Petunia Oat, and Jimmy Choat has just discovered that when something is amiss, he can blame Oat for the misdeed. For example, when Jimmy leaves his coat at the park and his mother asks where it is, the boy claims the goat ate it. This goes on throughout the story until finally Jimmy’s parents discover that Oat has taken the blame for many things that their son has been responsible for. It seems that Oat has been absolved for another’s misdeeds—but when we turn to the final page, we discovers that perhaps Petunia P. Oat is not entirely without blame. Dean Hale puts an interesting spin on honesty in this book. Although it is quite funny, there are a couple of messages in Scapegoat, too. Not only is honesty the best policy. Things aren’t always as they seem, either!     web reviews   Bob Walch/2011 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)