The Three Bully Goats

K-Gr 3—Gruff, Ruff, and Tuff, three bully goats unhappy on their own turf, want to cross the bridge to the greener meadow on the other side. Little Ogre trembles as the first scary goat calls out, "I'm Gruff, and I mean, I'm really gruff./And you, you're just a powder puff./Now stop squawking, or I'll butt you/from here to Brazil." Gruff crosses the bridge, tramples the meadow, and butts the baby bunnies. Then Ruff repeats the refrain, crosses the bridge, and butts the baby deer, while Little Ogre weeps in frustration. When Tuff comes "TRIP TRAP" over the bridge, the ogre thinks quickly and directs the largest bully goat to the tall grass. He tosses four baby skunks head over paws before they raise their tails and spray all three goats. All the animals in the meadow sing, "Hip hip hooray!/We called their bluff! /So long, bully goats/Gruff, Ruff, and Tuff!" The neon-bright cartoonish illustrations show goats with bullish features—especially the third goat—and a small green troll with a purple curl and warty fingers. The sky is pink and yellow over a lime green meadow. Compare this contemporary version with a twist to Paul Galdone's classic The Three Billy Goats Gruff (Clarion, 1973). Here the bullying theme seems heavy-handed; a more redemptive version is Ann and John Hassett's The Three Silly Girls Grubb (Houghton, 2002).—Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN