The Goatnappers

Overview

One of CBC's Best Books for Kids & Teens, 2008
On Resource Link's "Best of 2008" List

A sequel to Lost Goat Lane, which was made into a movie titled The Sweetest Gift, broadcast on Showtime in 1998.

When Justin becomes the first freshman in almost twenty years to make the high school's varsity baseball team, he's convinced his problems are all behind him. All he needs now to make his happiness complete is a bicycle so he can ride home after baseball practice. To earn the money for the bike, Justin sells Little Billy, one of the family's beloved baby goats.

And that is where things begin to get complicated. Justin's siblings find out that the new owner, Mr. Grimsted, is horribly mistreating Little Billy. Must Justin break the law to save the poor animal? Then, when a red sports car appears in the Martins' driveway one afternoon, is it bringing emotional upheaval for the entire family, the tempting lure of adventure, or both?

Author Rosa Jordan's memorable, well-drawn characters are woven together through circumstances-sometimes frantically comic, sometimes heartrending - into a web of complex relationships marked by the challenges of figuring out what is right and wrong and the confusion of divided loyalties. The result is a richly textured portrait of small town life and a struggling family that will intrigue and satisfy middle-grade readers.

Author Biography

Rosa Jordan is the director of the social justice program for Earthways Foundation. She is also the author of Cycling Cuba and Dangerous Places: Travels on the Edge and Lost Goat Lane, which was a finalist for both the Silver Birch Award and the Red Maple Award, and a nominee for the Chocolate Lily Book Award. She lives in British Columbia.