Brave Georgie Goat: 3 Little Stories about Growing Up — Denis Roche

In one concise volume, Roche successfully tackles a trio of pivotal early child-development issues: separation anxiety, loss of a transitional object and fear of the dark. Her protagonist, a brown female goat toddler named Georgie, triumphs in each episode, but not without some authentic, well-observed struggles. . . . The characters' behavior should strike a chord with most children: the grown-ups are comforting without condescension, and Georgie possesses just the right mix of vulnerability and pluckiness. The simplicity of Roche's thickly outlined naif-cartoon style exudes an undeniable poignancy, and her use of bold, dense colors in pictures diversely framed with ample white space makes for a sprightly visual space.—Publishers Weekly