In Anticipation of the Goat

The father, who was thought to be dead, unexpectedly returns to the family. The man gets to know his sons anew, but to the neglected boys who do not recognize anyone's authority, he seems like a completely foreign person — a Dictator, with whom the brothers, Viktor and Vad, decide to fight.
And around them is hunger, unexploded shells, and lack of work. In search of a better life, the family moves to the father's native village. But there is no salvation here either: the same ruin, along with suspicion and a wary attitude towards each other. The boys' parents go to buy a goat — after all, milk means satiety and prosperity. But the goat does not become a symbol of a happy life…  
In the tragic story by Yevgeny Dubrovine, the heroes' story becomes the story of the entire post-war period. The writer poignantly and simply tells about the most important things: about humanity and kindness, about growing up, the difficulty of choice and responsibility — for the decision made and its consequences. The realistic, sincere and truthful work has found vivid artistic expression in the illustrations by artist Yelizaveta Bukhalova.