Salvatore and the Goats of Mount Etna

Uschi Müller, Brittany Lane (illustrator)

Salvatore lives with his family and their goats at the foot of Mount Etna. Today it is his first time to herd the goats on the mountain slopes by himself. “Don’t let those goats boss you around”, says his father as Salvatore sets off. But the goats refuse to stay on the mountain, and soon Salvatore realises why. The volcanic eruption and Salvatore’s relationship with his family’s herding dog and goats are an appealing picture book combination. The story is based on real-life studies of changes in animal behaviour hours before volcanic activity, and other disaster forecasting by animals.

Ages 3-6