Muller, Uschi. Salvatore and the Goats of Mount Etna (Listening to Animals, Book 1). Illustrated by Brittany Lane. Greystone Kids, 2024. 978-1-771-64928-5. $18.95. Unpaged. Grades K-3.

Salvatore lives with his parents on a goat farm at the foot of Mount Etna, an active volcano. One day, his parents allow him to take the goats up the mountain on his own so that they can graze. His Papa reminds him not to let the goats boss him around, but rather to take charge. However, it’s not long before Bianca, the lead goat, begins acting agitated. Soon, all of the goats are kicking and jumping around. Then, Bianca takes off running down the mountain; Salvatore and the other goats follow. Salvatore is fearful, as he has lost control of the goats. He worries that they will be attacked by wild dogs. He soon realizes, however, that another danger is more imminent, and perhaps the goats knew what they were doing all along. 

THOUGHTS: This intriguing story is based on the real-life research of the ICARUS project, an initiative that seeks “to make the extraordinary sensory capabilities of many animals useful to humans.” Young readers will be fascinated to learn that there are many real-life accounts of animals using a “sixth sense” to predict and protect themselves from natural disasters. Be sure to watch for future publications in this series, as this is just the first in the Listening to Animals series.

Picture Book