Think Like a Goat: The Wildly Smart Ways Animals Communicate, Cooperate and Innovate

Think Like a Goat: The Wildly Smart Ways Animals Communicate, Cooperate and Innovate by Lisa Deresti Betik and Alexander Mostov is a fascinating book that will have you winning all of the trivia games.

Broken up into five chapters, Lisa Deresti Betik teaches readers how animals evolve, communicate, work together, solve problems and show their emotions. I have read a lot of non fiction books about animals but this one is intensely interesting and I learned so many new things about animals that I never knew!

Chickadee alarm calls - did you know the number of dee’s provides info about the predator! Cool! Herrings fart distinct rhythms to communicate with each other - hilarious and amazing! Readers will devour the information in this book because not only is it really interesting but it is sometimes hilarious!

Short vignettes mixed with longer, more detailed information flow throughout the book and make it highly engaging. Like all great middle grade books, it has lots of sidebars, flow charts, and a glossary to further engage young readers. Plus the information is very unique. I have yet to read a middle grade book about animals that focuses on the way their cooperate and communicate.

The illustrations by Alexander Mostov add to the engaging nature of the book. It’s filled with colourful illustrations on every page and highlights every animal referred to in the text, allowing readers to better associate the words with the animals.