Animals – Cows

Picture Book Review – Where’s My Cow?

WHERE’S MY COW?

Written by Susan Blackaby

Illustrated by Scott Brundage

(Sleeping Bear Press; $16.99; Ages 5-8)

 

 

Where's My Cow cover

 

Anxious Egret is afraid to fly beyond the pasture which means leaving his constant companion Cow. That is until Cow devises a way to stand out in a crowd so Egret will know where to fly and find her in Where’s My Cow? a heart-warming story by Susan Blackaby with illustrations by Scott Brundage.

A bucolic setting forms the calm backdrop for this charming picture book. The reader opens the book to sunrise with the herd of cows wandering the pasture, a flock of birds heading off to explore, and one egret in particular perfectly content perched on his friend cow’s head. Why not just remain when there is so much that can go wrong if one goes too far?

 

Where's My Cow int1
Interior spread from Where’s My Cow? written by Susan Blackaby and illustrated by Scott Brundage, Sleeping Bear Press ©2021.

 

The worldly cow with so many stories to tell is the perfect pal for the apprehensive egret. Riding on the cow’s rump, Egret enjoys tales about all the places Cow has been. “She knew about ukuleles and picnics. She discussed kites and kayaks. She had once tasted a toasted marshmallow. The cow’s stories gave the egret ideas.”

Brundage draws uncertainty in the egret’s eyes as he announces one sunny morning that he might be ready to fly. Cow listens with the facial expressions a concerned mom might give to a child whom she knows suffers from a bit of separation anxiety. Cow encourages the bird to see the beach, reinforcing the idea that Cow will be waiting the whole time. The dialogue between the two is so relatable for any child wanting to venture beyond their comfort zone but worried to leave a parent behind.

The problem is realized when the egret flies above the pasture only to look down and see the large herd, uncertain which one is his friend. Egret is so nervous he Ker-thumps to the ground to the surprised cow. “’I didn’t go,” said the egret. “How would I ever find you again?’”

 

Where's My Cow? int2
Interior spread from Where’s My Cow? written by Susan Blackaby and illustrated by Scott Brundage, Sleeping Bear Press ©2021.

 

Blackaby’s creativity is demonstrated with how best an anxious egret could locate his cow friend amongst the herd. The cow wags his ears but that is hard to see. “The cow thought about it. Next time I’ll switch my tail.” Great idea but all the “…tails switched and hitched every which way. Where’s my cow? WHERE’S MY COW?”

The illustrations of sea and sand take the reader along on the journey with Egret looking for ways to make the cow stand out. And with every bit of confidence he gains knowing he can now locate the cow, the egret creates his own adventures. The patient cow goes along with ribbons, seashells, and sticks tied to his body never complaining like any parent would do. “And at the end of the day, when the rosy sky is full of birds and the pasture is full of cows, the little egret wonders, Where’s my cow? And there she is.”

This book is recommended for any child wanting to explore the world but worried that their parent will not be there upon their return. This is a relatable story and a reassuring read to share before a young child goes off to their first birthday party, playdate, or any event that will separate them from those with whom they feel comfortable and safe.

  • Reviewed by Ronda Einbinder

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Children’s Picture Book Review – Mootilda’s Bad Mood

MOOTILDA’S BAD MOOD

Written by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call

Illustrated by Claudia Ranucci

(Little Bee Books; $17.99, Ages 4-8)

 

 

 

Have you ever woken up one morning and everything goes wrong, putting you in a bad mood? Has it ever happened to one of your children? The answer to both questions is, of course, it has.  And that is exactly the scenario that begins the hilarious rhyming verse picture book Mootilda’s Bad Mood.

 

Int Spread Mootildas Bad Mood
Interior spread from Mootilda’s Bad Mood written by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call and illustrated by Claudia Ranucci, Little Bee Books ©2020.

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The story begins with Mootilda waking up with hay in her hair, her pillow gone, and her doll—a cow, what else?—fallen from her bed. She goes to her moomaw cow (as opposed to mama cow) who hugs her and gives her a treat but when this falls, it sets off Mootilda to proclaim, “I’m in a bad mood!” Her mother suggests she goes out to play. Mootilda takes her advice and plays rope with calves, swims with lambs, rides bikes with pigs, and plays ball with ponies. However every single time, something unfortunate happens which leaves Mootilda in an even worse mood than before.

The refrain of “I’m in a bad mood!” reflects Mootilda’s worsening mood as the day progresses with each additional “O” that is added to the word “mood.” When she finally meets up with chickens, who are also in a bad mood, it is Mootilda this time who tries to cheer them up. But when something goes wrong with her attempt, instead of making her mood worse, she laughs about it and finally realizes her bad mood is gone. And with her bad mood gone, she figures out a way she can help others in the future, as shown in the final pictures of the book.

 

int art Mootildas Bad Mood
Interior spread from Mootilda’s Bad Mood written by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call and illustrated by Claudia Ranucci, Little Bee Books ©2020.

 

Ranucci’s illustrations are cheerful, bright, and colorful—the exact opposite of the feelings of a bad mood. They make it impossible for any reader who might be in a bad mood to remain that way after perusing through the delightful pictures.

The book is filled with funny animal, cow and moo words, like cow-tastrophe, cow-incidence, and cow-miserate. This wordplay adds to the enjoyment of the book, especially when read aloud and emphasized. But what I really liked about Mootilda’s Bad Mood was that co-authors Rosen Schwartz and Call have taken a concept that we can all relate to and presented it in such a humorous tale. The story acknowledges and allows everyone, especially kids, to be in a bad mood. It’s perfectly okay to sometimes feel like that, but there are also ways to deal with it and that is a great take-away message.

• Reviewed by Freidele Galya Soban Biniashvili

 

Click here to read a review of another picture book by Corey Rosen Schwartz.
Click here to read a review of another picture book illustrated by Claudia Ranucci.

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It’s Not Jack and the Beanstalk by Josh Funk

IT’S NOT JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
Written by Josh Funk
Illustrated by Edwardian Taylor
(Two Lions;  $17.99 Hardcover, $5.99 Digital, Ages 4-8)

 

cover art for It's Not Jack and the Beanstalk by Josh Funk

 

Josh Funk is fab at doing funny. His first fractured fairy tale (good news, there’ll be more!), It’s Not Jack and the Beanstalk, breaks with picture book convention and the fourth wall or maybe it’s the fourth page in this case, by introducing an uproarious dialogue between the narrator and the main character (to name a few) that kids and parents alike will eat up. Parents, caregivers and more experienced readers will be unable to resist the urge to to jump in and take on voicing all the characters’ roles if reading aloud. Being a fractured fairy tale, this story unfolds with a humorous back and forth between the narrator and the titular Jack (see artwork below) whom he must awaken in order to get on with his storytelling. Soon Jack has his magic beans, but he’s also been growing frustrated with the direction of the tale, often making demands of the narrator that are not unlike those of a child who doesn’t want to do his homework, brush his teeth or go to bed.

 

Interior spread by Edwardian Taylor from It's Not Jack and the Beanstalk by Josh Funk

 

Interior spread by Edwardian Taylor from It's Not Jack and the Beanstalk by Josh Funk

 

While climbing the seriously high stalk, Jack sees his pal Cindy (Cinderella) on her palace balcony. Here readers first see the hilarious and unexpected interplay between some beloved fairytales that will no doubt be a feature of Funk’s future fractured fairy tales and a most welcomed one. Inside the giant’s house, an enormous shadow on the wall and “a booming voice” signal just what’s in store for Jack. Then, quite unexpectedly and most certainly not in the original version, our hero gets a bit sassy about the giant’s poor rhyming skills. This does not bode well for Jack and before too long it’s looking like he’s going to be the main ingredient of Giant Stew. Once again interrupting the narrator who’s so desperate to continue the story, Jack casually but oh so cleverly mentions something to the giant that he’s hoping will change his fate and positively influence an alternative ending. Funk’s flair for terrific twists promises to satisfy all readers eager to see the pieces of this fractured fairy tale come together seamlessly.

 

Interior spread by Edwardian Taylor from It's Not Jack and the Beanstalk by Josh Funk

 

It’s Not Jack and the Beanstalk is a very visual book that instantly invites readers to study all the details on every page of Taylor’s appealing artwork. On the back of the book’s jacket cover, readers are told to “Look for the gingerbread man, the three blind mice, and other fairy tale friends hidden though out the book!” I quite enjoyed leafing back through the pages to see what characters I might have overlooked on the first read and so will your youngsters. Get a copy today to get in on the jokes. It’s Not Jack and the Beanstalk will make fairy tale devotees of a whole new generation of young readers while sprouting a whole new crop of Funk fans along the way.

Josh Funk

Edwardian Taylor

All interior spreads from It’s Not Jack and the Beanstalk are courtesy of Two Lions.

  • Reviewed by Ronna Mandel
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Best Hanukkah Books 2016 – A Roundup

BEST CHILDREN’S BOOKS FOR HANUKKAH
A Roundup by Ronna Mandel

 

Hanukkah Delight!
Hanukkah Delight by Leslea Newman book coverWritten by Lesléa Newman
Illustrated by Amy Husband
(Kar-Ben; $5.99, Ages 1-4)

An array of adorable animals including a bunny family celebrate Hanukkah in this cheerfully illustrated 12-page board book. Hanukkah Delight! offers a rollicking rhyming read for the littlest ones on your holiday list as it details all the joyous events leading up to and during the Festival of Lights such as:
Friends and neighbors to invite, 
Ancient blessings we recite.
Gleaming candles burning bright,
Crispy latkes taste just right.

 

A Hanukkah With MazelA Hanukkah With Mazel by Joel Edward Epstein
Written by Joel Edward Stein
Illustrated by Elisa Vavouri
(Kar-Ben; $17.99 Hardcover, $7.99 Paperback, $6.99 eBook, Ages 3-8)

Debut picture book author, Joel Edward Stein, introduces readers to Misha, a kindly but poor artist who discovers a hungry cat in his barn that he names Mazel (Hebrew/Yiddish meaning luck). Misha share the little bit of milk he has with his new feline friend and together the companions celebrate the start of Hanukkah. Despite having no money to Hanukkah candles, the artist comes up with a clever way to light the menorah. He’ll paint the candles on a canvas! Soon he even runs low on paints, but not before reaching the eighth and final night of the holiday. Just then a peddler arrives and, as fate would have it, he turns out to be Mazel’s owner. But rather than reclaim his pet, this beneficent traveling merchant has a plan to make everyone happy while delivering some much needed Hanukkah luck. Vavouri’s watercolor illustrations, convey a folkloric feel while also accurately depicting Misha’s hand-to-mouth existence in an old Eastern European Jewish community called Grodno. Written with care, A Hanukkah With Mazel is flawless storytelling that is beautifully presented. It’s not only heartwarming with its surprise happy ending, but certain to become a timeless treasure for families to return to every holiday season.

Yitzi and the Giant Menorah cover imageYitzi and the Giant Menorah
Written and illustrated by Richard Ungar
(Tundra Books; $16.99, Ages 5-9)

The townspeople of Chelm, a storied village from Jewish folklore, wonder how they should properly thank the Mayor of Lublin after receiving the gift of a giant menorah on Hanukkah eve. Although everyone seems to have an idea that befits the prestige of mayor, nothing ends up turning out well. Latkes that are cooked for the mayor get eaten before they’re even given to him, pristine Chelm snow melts into water, and a beautifully carved dreidel points Yitzi’s father Avrum in the wrong direction so that he never makes it to Lublin! While all this is playing out over the first seven nights of Hanukkah, no one is paying attention to Yitzi who believes he has figured out the ideal way to thank the Mayor. When at last all options are exhausted, Yitzi’s thoughtful idea is a treat for everyone to behold, especially the Mayor of Lublin. There, atop a steep hill, the frail old man had to stop when he heard music floating in the air from afar and dancing lights shone in the night sky. “Something on a distant hill filled his heart with joy.” Between the easy to follow story (its variety of interesting characters makes it a terrific read-aloud) and the vibrant water color and colored pencil artwork, Yitzi and the Giant Menorah is a welcome addition to the Hanukkah books available for families to enjoy.

  • Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

For your tweens, don’t miss my review of Dreidels on the Brain, another great read to buy this year.

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The Bunny Rabbit Show! by Sandra Boynton

The-Bunny-Rabbit-Show-cvr.jpgMy kids grew up with Margaret Wise Brown for quiet, go-to-sleep, soothing bedtime stories. But when they wanted belly laughs, tales to memorize and repeat (and not necessarily go to sleep), they chose Sandra Boynton hands down. Her books are a constant in every baby book collection I give to new mom friends and relatives. In fact, I cannot imagine any starter book set without Moo, Baa, La La La!, The Going To Bed Book, Barnyard Dance!, Tickle Time! and Hippos Go Berserk! Now I’m delighted I can add a new fave, one of the Boynton on Board book series, to my gift list. The Bunny Rabbit Show! board book (Workman, $6.95, Ages 0-4), featuring an oval die cut cover revealing dancing rabbits, is as cute as can be.

Boynton’s in top form here with a catchy rhyming refrain and a feel-good, entertaining performance by the happy hoppers. What Boynton does best is create her books at two levels; the first appealing to the youngest child being read to, and the the second appealing to the parents and care-givers who will surely be sharing the story over and over again. And why not? What’s not to love about a bunny board book featuring a bunch of bunnies (ten terrific rabbits to be precise) in a Rockettes-like line on stage singing, dancing and strutting their stuff.

Add more to their listening and looking pleasure by asking, as you read, if your little ones can spot the cow, pig, duck and sheep in the audience for some guaranteed giggles.  Maybe even pull out a pair of bunny ears so your child can join in the show! That’s a big part of what makes a Boynton book so very, very fun to read. It’s hard to keep them on the bookshelves. Enjoy!

 

– Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

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Minnie & Moo: Hooves of Fire Written and Illustrated by Denys Cazet

Minnie and Moo, the popular bovine buddies, are back again in their second chapter book reviewed today by MaryAnne Locher.

hoovesThis time the two lovable cows are having a frolicking good time on the Red Tractor Farm in Minnie & Moo: Hooves of Fire, written and illustrated by Denys Cazet (Creston Books 2014; $15.95, Ages 6-11). Well, at least Moo is having a good time. Minnie is too busy worrying.

While Mr. and Mrs. Farmer are away on a vacation. Moo comes up with the idea to have a talent festival on the farm to raise money for the Farmers. Minnie has a bad feeling about this, but doesn’t want to hurt her best friend’s feelings, so she goes along with it. But everywhere she turns, Minnie sees trouble brewing. All that Moo sees is everyone having fun! Minnie notices coyotes in black jackets who ride in on motorcycles, weasels looking, well, weasel-y, and the stage-hog, Elvis the Rooster, who can’t seem to wait his turn. Moo sees her friends’ hard work and talent coming to fruition.

When Minnie, a pastry lover of the worst sort, thinks she sees the coyotes stealing raspberry danishes, she tells her friend Moo, who replies, “You worry too much, Minnie.”  That’s because Moo thinks she has everything under control since Big Vinnie and Little Vinnie, professional hog wrestlers, are there as security guards.

Minnie-Moo-int-art.jpg
Interior art from Minnie & Moo: Hooves of Fire by Denys Cazet, Creston Books, ©2014.

Soon though, even Moo gets a little concerned when she can’t find Minnie, or the cash box holding all of their money intended for the Farmers. The money box shows up as part of Fox’s magic trick; or does it? When coyotes, hyenas, weasels, and a fox all collaborate to pull off a heist, they’re too much for even Big Vinnie and Little Vinnie to handle alone. When a hyena yells, “So long, Fatso!” to Minnie, the hyena doesn’t know what’s in store for him. A motorcycle chase ensues, and well, let’s just say that Mr. and Mrs. Farmer get a fat envelope full of cash in their mailbox.

Cazet is no stranger to elementary school humor, having been a teacher himself for 25 years, a school librarian, and an elementary media specialist. His b&w illustrations of cows in togas, chickens in dresses and heels, and a stare-down between a bug-eyed snail and an Elvis-impersonating rooster, are very amusing. His words even more so. There’s drama, comedy, magic, and even a touch of romance, when Don Juan del Toro, the bull, asks Moo to dance The Hooves of Fire.

Teachers should note, there’s also a downloadable Curriculum Guide.

 

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