I recently had a chance to review Polly and Her Duck Costume, the story of a blind baby goat and how a duck costume helped her blossom into a happy, healthy goat. With illustrations by Jill Howarth, this sweet picture book encourages kids to be brave, try new things, and be a good friend.
Author Leanne Lauricella, goat mama and curator of the wildly popular@GoatsOfAnarchy Instagram account, left her corporate life in New York City to open a sanctuary in New Jersey for goats with disabilities. With more than half a million followers, Polly and her duck costume became a fan favorite, as people rooted for little Polly to get stronger, learn to rely on her senses of hearing and smelling to navigate her way around the farmhouse, and eventually become confident and comfortable enough to interact with the other goats on the farm.
This book was adorable. It was a fun little story about a goat who is more comfortable in her costume than without it. It looked at different instances of Polly's life in an illustrated way that even young kids could understand, and then it went more in depth with some details at the end that older kids and parents will enjoy.
The second story in the GOA Kids series arrives in November! The Goat with Many Coats: The True Story of a Little Goat Who Found a New Home follows the story of tiny Prospect the goat, who needed sweaters and coats to keep his little body warm.
Polly's Story
A little over a year ago, Polly was born to a mother who rejected her due to her blindness (mother goats sometimes reject babies who do not seem like they will survive). Leanne Lauricella at Goats of Anarchy rescued Polly, at just a few days old, when she heard that sweet little baby goat was not getting the care that she needed. Polly was underweight from malnourishment, suffered anxiety whenever left alone, and did not interact with the other goats. Polly would often follow Leanne’s voice around the farmhouse, bleating to be held and cuddled. Laurciella found that wrapping Polly in blankets would help the anxiety, but the blankets would fall off whenever Polly got up for food or water. And that's when Leanne thought to try putting a cuddly duck costume on Polly...and Polly loved it! It’s Lauricella’s goat mama attentiveness and personal care that has allowed Polly to flourish to the point of overcoming the anxiety and struggles of her disability and become an active and social part of the Goats of Anarchy family. Polly now lives happily outside in the baby barn and eats, plays, and explores with her goat friends.
The Goats of Anarchy Story
In 2014 Leanne Lauricella fell in love with goats and her life was changed forever. She walked away from a lucrative corporate career in NYC, ditched the Mercedes, and built a goat sanctuary in rural New Jersey where goats with special needs could find a home. Lauricella began documenting her unconventional new life on Instagram, amassing over half a million followers on @GoatsOfAnarchy. The goats and other animals, typically rescued from abandonment or mistreatment, find a home on one of Lauricella’s two farms where each animal gets care for their special needs. Prosthetics and carts are provided for goats with missing or deformed legs, and indoor care for new baby goats, goats requiring intensive medical care or terminal illness. The goats’ stories have created a passionate and fast-growing following that serves to help financially support the upkeep of the farm and vet bills for Lauricella’s special needs brood.
Lauricella encourages a vegan lifestyle and is vocal about animal rights issues.www.goatsofanarchy.com
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