National Dairy Month
The lowing of cows in the early morning and late afternoon marks the beginning of milk's journey to the market. In the this selection of books, we follow milk from the pasture through the processing plants right to the shelves of grocery stores as cheese, ice cream, butter, and other dairy products, as well as the bottles and cartons of milk grabbed by shoppers who seldom contemplate the origins of these popular food items. We also include stories of cows--some touching, some downright silly-but all designed to pay tribute to the producers of white gold: milk. Read Gail Gibbons' Ice Cream: The Full Scoop and go out for a treat inspired by this detailed look at how ice cream came to be such a favorite world wide. The following web site has a great deal to offer for students, teachers and parents: dairy farmers.
Contributor: Sheilah Egan
Reviews
Adventures of Cow
Cow, as told to Lori Korchek
Photographed by Marshall Taylor
Get ready to laugh. Cow will have you in laughter on page one. Cow arrives in a strange land. But cow is not just a cow, he is a plastic cow which has been photographed trying to find his way through the real farm animals. Cow visits horses, who he calls big dogs, and asks where is he? They do not speak cow language. He visits a goat, and asks which way is home. The goat tells him ask the cats. Cow's cats turn out to be ducks who tell cow to swim. Cow tries to swim his way home in a pool of water by a green hose. Cow finds real cows, but calls them scary frogs. A dog swoops down on Cow and brings him home to the house. In the house, Cow repeats his confusion and greets the carved and ceramic animals. At this point, the reader feels sorry for poor cow who has so badly lost his way among the maze of real and fake animals. However, by the end, Cow is writing a book about his adventures, and all is well. Readers young and old will love the humor in this story. This book would make a great gift for both the old and the young. 2005, Tricycle Press, $12.95. Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer: Mindy Hardwick (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Best Children's Books of the Year, 2005; Bank Street College of Education; United States
ISBN: 1582461392
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
Doreen Cronin
Pictures by Betsy Lewin
"Cows that type? Impossible!" That's what Farmer Brown thinks when he first hears the "click, clack" from the barn, but then he reads the note the cows write him. All they want is electric blankets for the cold barn. When he refuses, they go on strike. What's worse for the farmer is that the strike spreads to the cold hens as well. Duck finally negotiates a compromise. Unfortunately for Farmer Brown, the ducks have learned from all this, leaving us with a smile at the ending. This broadly humorous nonsense finds an appropriately bold, almost slapdash visual counterpart in Lewin's illustrations. Thick, brushed black lines define the characters and farm environment, while washes of color help emphasize gestures and evoke emotions, as when the red door symbolizes the farmer's rage. Great slapstick also suggests thoughts on animal rights. 2000, Simon & Schuster, $15.00. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Adventuring with Books: A Booklist for Pre-K-Grade 6 13th Edition, 2002; National Council of Teachers of English; United States
The Best Children's Books of the Year, 2001; Bank Street College of Education; United States
Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, 2001; H.W. Wilson; United States
Children's Catalog, Nineteenth Edition, 2006; H.W. Wilson; United States
Children's Choices, 2001; International Reading Association; United States
The Children's Literature Choice List, 2001; Children's Literature; United States
Not Just for Children Anymore!, 2001; Children's Book Council; United States
Notable Books for Children, 2001; American Library Association-ALSC; United States
Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts, 2001; National Council of Teachers of English; United States
Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, February 2000; Cahners; United States
Recommended Literature: Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, 2002; California Department of Education; California
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, March 2000; Cahners; United States
School Library Journal: Best Books, 2000; Cahners; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
ABC Children's Booksellers Choices Award Winner 2001 Picture Books United States
American Booksellers Book Sense Book of the Year (ABBY) Award Finalist 2001 Children-Illustrated United States
Bill Martin, Jr. Picture Book Award Winner 2002 United States
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Winner 2002 Maryland
Buckaroo Book Award 2nd Runner-up 2002 K-3 Wyoming
Charlotte Award Winner 2002 Picture Book United States
Charlotte Zolotow Award Highly Commended 2001 United States
Colorado Children's Book Award Runner Up 2002 Picture Book Colorado
Golden Sower Award Honor 2003 Primary Nebraska
Irma S. and James H. Black Award for Excellence in Children's Literature Honor Book 2000 United States
M. Jerry Weiss Book Award Winner 2005 Grades K-3 New Jersey
Randolph Caldecott Medal Honor Book 2001 United States
Red Clover Children's Choice Picture Book Award Winner 2002 Vermont
SMART Book Award Winner 2002 United States
Storytelling World Awards Honor 2001 Stories for Young Listeners United States
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
2X2 Reading List, 2001; Ages 5-7; Texas
Arizona Young Readers' Award, 2002; Nominee; Picture Books; Arizona
Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Reading List, 2003; Nominee; Arkansas
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, 2001-2002; Nominee; Picture Books; Maryland
Buckaroo Book Award, 2001-2002; Nominee; K-3; Wyoming
Buckeye Children's Book Award, 2002; Nominee; Grades K-2; Ohio
Building Block Picture Book Award, 2001-2002; Nominee; Missouri
California Young Reader Medal, 2003; Nominee; Primary; California
Charlotte Book Awards, 2002; Nominee; Primary; New York
Delaware Diamonds, 2001-2002; Nominee; Grades K-2; Delaware
Flicker Tale Children's Book Award, 2002; Nominee; Picture Books; North Dakota
Georgia Children's Literature Awards, 2003; Nominee; Grades K-4; Georgia
Golden Sower Award, 2003; Nominee; Primary; Nebraska
Kentucky Bluegrass Award, 2003; Nominee; Kentucky
Maryland Children's Book Award, 2002; Nominee; Primary; Maryland
Michigan Reader's Choice Award, 2002; Nominee; Grades Pre-K - 1; Michigan
Mockingbird Award, 2001-2002; Nominee; Texas
Monarch Award: Illinois' K-3 Children's Choice Award, 2005; Nominee; K-3; Illinois
Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award, 2001-2002; Nominee; Grades K-3; Pennslyvania
Red Clover Children's Choice Picture Book Award, 2001-2002; Nominee; Vermont
Treasure State Award, 2002; Nominee; Montana
Utah Children's Book Awards, 2002; Nominee; Picture; Utah
Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award, 2002; Nominee; Washington
Young Hoosier Book Award, 2003; Nominee; Picture Book (Grades K-3); Indiana
ISBN: 0-689-83213-3
The Cow Who Clucked
Denise Fleming
One morning Cow discovers that she has lost her moo, and sets off to find it. Brief, simple sentences with repetitions children will enjoy joining, tell of cow's encounters with Dog, Bee, Cat, Fish, Duck, Goat, Mouse, Snake, Squirrel, and Owl. Each creature answers Cow's "Cluck, cluck" with its own appropriate sound. It is only on her way back to the barn that Cow passes Hen, where her "Cluck, cluck" is answered by "Moo, moo." The animals can exchange their sounds for the correct ones at last. Clearly the attractiveness of this book is far more than the text. Rather it is Fleming's imaginative characterizations and her design of the double-page scenes that stimulate our emotions and urge us to move on with Cow. The controlled use of colored cotton fiber and hand-cut stencils create naturalistic landscape and textured, animated animals with distinctive personalities. Cow is particularly appealing, with searching wide eyes and swishing tail. Her final "Mooo" of joy celebrates her return to normal as she is joined by a quartet of peeping chicks. 2006, Henry Holt and Company, $16.95. Ages 3 to 6. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Best Children's Books, 2006; Kirkus; United States
Book Sense Children's Picks, Fall 2006; American Booksellers Association; United States
Children's Books 2006: 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, 2006; New York Public Library; United States
Choices, 2007; Cooperative Children's Book Center; United States
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, August 2006; Cahners; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Books of the Year Winner 2006 2 to 4 Years United States
ISBN: 978-0-8050-7265-5
ISBN: 0-8050-7265-9
Cows = Las vacas
JoAnn Early Macken
The covers of the books in the series "Animals that Live on the Farm," a subset of the larger series of "Weekly Reader-Early Learning Library Books," are quite engaging. The featured animal is peering out at the reader through an open pocket in a pair of denim jeans. It is indicative of the design of these books, which is attractive with large type in an easy to read font and bright clear photographs that have kid appeal. The introductory note sums up the focus of each book in the series "to help children read about the behavior and life cycles of farm animals." The text is definitely more engaging than others of the same ilk. Kids learn the proper names for male and female cows, what they eat, how they keep clean and where they live. The issue of a cow chewing its cud may raise questions that will require additional research. Readers also learn that cows raised for milk production are milked twice a day and other cows may be raised for meat. Important words are bolded, but they are not the ones defined in the glossary--kids will need to look elsewhere if they don't get the meaning from the text. There are additional books listed for more information but no dates are given and only one web site is listed. There is an index and a write-up about the author. The entire book, including all the front and backmatter, is written in Spanish and English. 2005, Weekly Reader-Early Learning Library, $19.33. Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-8368-4286-3
ISBN: 0-8368-4293-6
Cows Have Calves
Lynn M. Stone
In a simple question and answer format, readers will learn about calves from birth to adulthood. The brief but informative answers discuss what newborn calves do, what they look like and what they eat. A full-page, captioned, color photograph accompanies each set of questions. The photos show a variety of breeds up close and calves interacting with one another, as well as with the cow. A brief glossary and a few interesting facts are included at the back of the book. A section called, "Want to Know More?" lists other books, web sites (one of which has a very good Kid's Page), the address for the National Dairy Council, and a recommendation to attend county fairs or visit a dairy farm. Part of the "Animals and Their Young" series, this title is appropriate for primary grade students and reluctant readers. 2000, Compass Point Books, $13.95. Ages 5 to 9. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-7565-0001-X
Dairy
Susan DerKazarian
This is a great nonfiction book about dairy products that many students see at school and at home. Unfortunately, not many of these students eat the recommended daily servings of dairy products. I enjoy reading these types of books because of the important information they give the young children. My students especially liked the photos of the cows, the farmers milking the cows, and the farmers making cheese. The author uses language and text the students can understand. Overall, the book is well written and the photographs will keep the students talking. (Rookie Read-About Health). Nonfiction (641.3). Grades K-1. 2005, Children's Press, 31p., $19.50. Ages 5 to 7. Reviewer: Carl Contreras (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 18, No. 4)).
ISBN: 0-516-23672-5
Dairy
Honor Head
This fun and interesting series of five books focusing on good nutrition is designed to make an impact on preschool and early elementary students. This edition features the dairy group. Nutrition has been taught in schools for decades, but seems to have had little impact on the daily food practices of students. Bright, colorful, cartoon-like illustrations and photos, an in-your-face format, and amusing but accurate text combine to make an often boring subject inviting. Every link in the dairy chain from producers to consumers is mentioned with plenty of suggestions about kinds of dairy options as well as encouragement to eat in a balanced manner. The book's graphic version of a balanced diet of daily intake actually makes more sense than the "new" food pyramid touted by the United States Department of Agriculture. There are plenty of suggestions for youngsters of kinds of healthy foods to pack for lunch. The inclusion of dairy habits in other countries is an informative addition. Two pages of true-false, short answer, and multiple choice quizzes, as well as a glossary, index, and suggestions for parents and teachers are added attractions. This book is a winner for any age group, and has never been more important than now. Part of the "What's for Lunch?" series. 2006, QEB Publishers, $27.10. Ages 5 to 10. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 1-59566-197-2
ISBN: 978-1-59566-197-5
A Dairy Farm
Melissa Gish
Young readers today may be unaware of the sources of products they use everyday, such as milk, bread, peanut butter and juice. The value of teaching children about agriculture and how it provides food for the world has been proven in many fields of research. This text offers an opportunity to visit a dairy through the words and photographs of the author. The beautiful photographs show small farms and large farms, animals being milked manually and by automation, and delivery methods used for distributing the milk. Throughout the book, glossary is introduced in bold print. Classroom activities are included, as well as a brief glossary, index, and Web links. This is one of several titles in the "Field Trip" series. The other titles include An Airport and A Newspaper. Recommended for reluctant middle school readers. 2004, Smart Apple Media, $21.35. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Joyce Rice (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 1-58340-325-6
Dairy Products
Ann Thomas
Dairy Products is part of the "Food" series, a group of six books which highlight the various food groups represented in the food guide pyramid. Each book in the series is a very straightforward account of why we need certain kinds of food and how we define the various categories within the pyramid. Once each food group is defined, the book provides information as to where the foods "come from," and in the case of this category, explains how the various products--milk, cheese, butter, and yogurt--are manufactured and stored. The book then discusses cooking, drinking, and eating the various products previously discussed. Ironically, the last pages of the text actually focus on vegans and the use of soy milk and cheese to substitute for actual dairy products; I found this diversion interesting in that the author felt it necessary to clarify to younger readers that dairy substitutes are an off-shoot of the food pyramid. The text throughout the 32-page book is easy to follow, and like many series books, boldfaces certain words that students might have problems understanding without help. The pictures found throughout the text are certainly eye-catching and useful in supporting the text. This particular text had a strong organizational focus, but I do not feel that it is a book that will keep young readers' attention unless they are specifically using it for some type of research or fact-gathering. 2003, Chelsea Clubhouse, $14.95. Ages 7 to 10. Reviewer: Jean Boreen, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-7910-6980-X
From Milk to Cheese
Roberta Basel
Consultant, Art Hill
This simple book is part of the "First Facts" series, designed for easy access to information for young students. It is a straightforward yet thorough and detailed description of how milk becomes cheese. The colorful appealing photographs aid comprehension and make the book very engaging. The title is written in short and direct sentences and the vocabulary is carefully controlled. Vocabulary specific to the subject of producing cheese from milk is printed in bold text and included in the glossary. Readers are introduced to vocabulary words such as curds, enzymes, whey, and ripens. Important nonfiction features such as clear chapter headings, a glossary, an index, and suggestions for additional readings and internet sites help make this book very user-friendly. Children will especially enjoy the final page of this book that contains step-by-step directions for making a cheese ball. In or out of the classroom, elementary students will want to read this highly informative and interesting book about a favorite food, cheese. 2006, Capstone Press, $21.26. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Susan Borges (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-7368-4285-3
ISBN: 978-0-7368-4285-3
From Milk to Ice Cream
Kristin Thoennes Keller
Consultant, H. Douglas Goff
A "First Facts" book in the "From Farm to Table" series, this book appeals to a wide reading audience with fresh information, clear harvest and production processes explanations, and well chosen photographs. From cow to cone, the process of making ice cream is explained beginning with a mechanical milker on a large dairy farm. Text details the making of the mix, heating to kill bacteria, the addition of flavors and other items, although a very unappetizing picture of some shiny dark gunk at a Ben & Jerry's is not identified which would have been appropriate. Oreos, perhaps? Blackberries? Or is someone cleaning out the machines? A complicated machine is shown molding ice ream and adding some sort of topping but the text only mentions the molds. The text ends with a picture of ice cream in a grocery store but only two local brands are shown; a fact that George Washington spent nearly $200 on ice cream one summer; and a recipe for making ice cream in a bag without having to use a crank freezer is included. There is also a glossary, index, and a hosted website. Supplement this with Elaine Greenstein's Ice Cream Cones for Sale (HarperCollins, 2003), a great companion as it details the invention of the ice cream cone in 1904 that this text began with. 2005, Capstone Press, $21.26. Ages 7 to 10. Reviewer: Susan Hepler, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-7368-2635-1
Ice Cream: the Full Scoop
Gail Gibbons
I always thought my mother invented "snow cream" (clean snow with sweetened flavored milk drizzled over it)--the author has (yet again) given us the definitive explanation of the cold, sweet treat called ice cream. Some people believe that the Chinese mixed snow, milk, and rice together as long as 3,000 years ago (not my mom!). In this worthy addition to the body of explanatory literature, readers are greeted, on the very first page, with a scene of people enjoying various forms of ice cream in a brightly colored ice cream parlor. This scene prepares them to learn about the entire history of ice cream, its developmental stages (recipe and processing changes), and the cultural influences that have shaped today's frozen delights. Gibbons takes us from cow (with her usual clear explanatory pictures) to the ice cream factory, from the grocery store to people eating their favorite kinds of ice cream. Along the way insets remind us of various facts: credit for the pasteurization process goes to Louis Pasteur; the three common container sizes (pint, quart, half gallon) for ice cream; and explanations of various words, such as "vendor" which means "someone who sells something." The word comes into play as she describes the invention of the ice cream cone at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, when an ice cream vendor ran out of paper cups for holding scoops of ice cream. A near-by waffle seller offered some of his waffles to create cones to hold the scoops. Lots of information about ice cream is included and visually depicted--so much as to create the need for a quick trip to the local market! Did you know that vanilla is still the favorite flavor followed by chocolate? Sunday is still the favorite day for purchasing ice cream--the spelling of Ice Cream Sundae was changed from the original "Sunday" when people began eating them on other days of the week. Have you consumed the American average of 15 quarts this year? If not, grab a spoon for a scoop, a bar, a cone, or a straw for an ice cream soda! 2006, Holiday House, $16.95. Ages 3 to 7. Reviewer: Sheilah Egan (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Choices, 2007; Cooperative Children's Book Center; United States
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2000-1
ISBN: 0-8234-2000-0
Life on a Goat Farm
Judy Wolfman
Photographs by David Lorenz Winston
Did you know there are six kinds of dairy goats in the United States? You can learn what they are and see a picture of each at the beginning of this book. From there, you will discover the work and the joys of living on a farm. Breeding is important on a dairy goat farm in order to have milk to sell. Information about breeding is accompanied by a picture of a kid being born and the care given to newborn goats. There is a discussion of dehorning and a photo showing the tool and how it is done. The milking process is presented, along with the care and feeding of the goats. About half of each page is text and half is comprised of clear color photographs that give further insight into life on the farm and the personalities of the goats as well as the humans who live there. With its informative and entertaining photographs and written in the voice of Jimmy Search, a real boy who lives on a dairy goat farm, this has great appeal. The book is part of the "Life on a Farm" series in which a child on the farm speaks directly to the reader. Three children's books comprise the annotated bibliography, and four web sites are listed. The annotations help the reader know what they can find at these sites. Fun Facts about Goats, a glossary and an index are included. 2001, Carolrhoda Books, $23.93. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 1-5750-5515-5
Milk
Gretchen Will Mayo
One in the "Where Does Our Food Come From?" series of six for early readers, this book explores the nutritional qualities and production of milk. Using color photos and brief text, the book begins by discussing the nutritional aspects of milk and its daily requirements on the food pyramid. Life on a dairy farm follows, with a complicated description of the digestive habits of cows. In addition, some of the numbers on the milk producing capacity of cows seems a bit much for younger readers. The section on dairy processing is interesting but, again, uses numbers in percentages that will mean nothing to the intended readership. A discussion of other common milk products completes the story. An index, glossary and resources for further study are included. 2004, Weekly Reader Early Learning Library, $18.60. Ages 5 to 7. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-8368-4067-4
ISBN: 0-8368-4074-7
The Milk Group
Mari C. Schuh
From the very first page that pictures a refrigerator filled with all kinds of milk products, to the introduction of the My Pyramid site provided by the government, this title encourages young readers to be healthy. Photographs throughout the book show young readers making healthy choices: Children can be seen sharing cheese snacks and yogurt snacks. Families are shown shopping together and making the healthy choices. School lunch is portrayed as offering different kinds of milk, as well as cheese for sandwiches. The text is simple and easy to read. A glossary, index, and helpful Internet pages are included. Parents are a part of the fun when they share a taco meal with the children featuring milk, cheese, and sour cream. Throughout the text, children are reminded to drink more milk. Multicultural images are also presented throughout the text. Other titles in the "Healthy Eating with My Pyramid" series cover fruits, water, grains, snacks, exercise, vegetables, and meat. This is an excellent introduction to healthy lifestyles for all early elementary school students. This would be a good choice for elementary science classrooms, supporting the national science standards for nutrition and health. 2006, Capstone Press, $19.93. Ages 4 to 6. Reviewer: Joyce Rice (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7368-5373-6
ISBN: 0-7368-5373-1
The Milkman
Carol Foskett Cordsen
Illustrated by Douglas B. Jones
A milkman gets up at 3:30 AM (check the clock), eats breakfast, and sets out with his trusty cat to deliver the milk. When he is finished, he has noticed all sorts of early morning animals as well as a supposedly lost dog, which he returns, and the subtle clues to changes in the neighborhood. In addition, he has delivered plenty of milk and milk products before he returns to his family at 7:30 AM. The illustrations resemble those of classic illustrators of the thirties, forties, and fifties, with furred black lines, rounded shapes, and pleasant people in cozy neighborhoods, but Jones has done and outstanding job with the colors of the changing night to dawn and the sunrise positively warms the viewer's eye. In addition, it is a hymn to doing the job you love to do, the joys of early mornings, and the companionship of a trusty cat. Kids will love spotting the errant dog, seeing what the cat is doing, and noting what a milkman actually did eons ago when grandma (or great-grandma!) was a kid. 2005, Dutton, $15.99. Ages 2 to 5. Reviewer: Susan Hepler, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Booklist Book Review Stars, May 1, 2005; United States
Children's Catalog, Nineteenth Edition, 2006; H.W. Wilson; United States
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, July 2005; Cahners; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize Finalist 2006 Canada
ISBN: 0-525-47208-8
Minnie and Moo: the Case of the Missing Jelly Donut
Denys Cazet
It is really difficult not to laugh at these crazy cows. Minnie is a bit upset; she just opened a box of jelly donuts and now the donut is gone. Moo is convinced that a crime has been committed and it is up to the two of them to track down the thief. Moo deduces that it must be a chicken with blue feathers. They disguise themselves as chickens--yes, it is really hard to imagine, but they do disguise themselves and they do slip into the henhouse to catch the thieving chicken. What ensues is simply crazy fun. Elvis the rooster stumbles home after a night of partying and is greeting by two enormous and ugly chickens (Minnie and Moo), the fox sneaks into the hen house but the two cows scare him off. Eventually they head on home and the crime is solved. Puns abound along with visual humor in a story that will appeal as much to kids as it does to the adults who may be reading it aloud. A Level 3 book in the "An I Can Read Book" series. 2005, HarperCollins, $15.99 and $16.89. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Best Children's Books of the Year, 2005; Bank Street College of Education; United States
Childrens' Choices, 2006; International Reading Association; United States
ISBN: 0-06-073007-2
ISBN: 0-06-073008-0
Moo!
Penny Dolan
Illustrated by Melanie Sharp
Big Bill's cows were tired of the sound the milking machine made. They were so unhappy that they quit producing milk, which was bad news for Big Bill. When his wife and children took over milking the cows for a few days, they sang and danced and the cows enjoyed it so much they made more milk than ever. When Big Bill found out how much milk the cows had produced when his family sang to them, he began singing to his cows every day and they produced so much milk that the man who sold Big Bill's milk was amazed. This is a delightful and simple story and children should enjoy reading how music alters the three cows' emotions. The text is simple to read and will help expand children's vocabulary and knowledge of sentence structure by offering simple and complex sentences designed to engage children's imagination. The illustrations are bright and colorful and at times more fun to look at than the story is to read. This book is part of the yellow level of "Read-it! Readers" series. 2005, Picture Window Books, $18.60. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Danielle Williams (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 1-4048-0643-1
Mrs. Wow Never Wanted a Cow
Martha Freeman
Illustrated by Steven Salerno
When Mrs. Wow finds a cow, she tries to shoo her away. The cow will not leave. Meow the cat is supposed to catch mice, but she prefers to sleep. Bow-Wow the dog is supposed to guard the house, but he wants to eat all day. When Bow-Wow and Meow see the cow, they decide to teach her to do their chores. But the cow will not learn to catch mice and guard the house. They decide the cow is useless--until Mrs. Wow tells them a cow could only eat grass and give milk. Mrs. Wow decides to let the cow eat the grass to save her from having to cut the grass. Then, Mrs. Wow milks the cow and makes ice cream. Bow-Wow and Meow love ice cream so they are happy to have the cow and so is Mrs. Wow. The illustrations are terrific and the story is humorous. Most beginning readers will want to read this amusing story over and over while enjoying the colorful illustrations. 2006, Beginner Books/A Division of Random House, $8.99. Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer: Jennie DeGenaro (Children's Literature).
This "Random House Beginner Book" (the same series as the Dr. Seuss books) offers up simple, graphic-like, textural painted illustrations that convey action in motion and an easy-to-read, engaging storyline. Mrs. Wow's pet cat, Meow, and dog, Bow-Wow, are lovable, lazy pets who are confounded by the uselessness of the cow who comes to live on their farm, but they eventually appreciate the true purpose of a cow. The homophonic words will feel good rolling off kids' tongues, although the varied pronunciations of words that look alike may occasionally trip them up. 2006, Random House Books for Young Readers, $8.99 Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer: Ginjer L. Clarke (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-375-83418-4
ISBN: 0-375-93418-9
ISBN: 0-375-83419-2
ISBN: 978-0-375-83418-9
ISBN: 978-0-375-93418-6
ISBN: 978-0-375-83419-6
My Favorite Place
Maryellen Heller
Illustrations by Joanne Friar
This is a surprisingly affecting story of a boy who says goodbye to his favorite place, the local dairy farm that has been sold and is being turned into housing lots. The boy spends time visiting with the farm's cows, listening to their sounds at night, and imagining what will happen to the wildlife of the farm. He brings his camera to the farm to take pictures of the cows, and writes a letter to the farmer asking him not to sell the farm. The boy brings an album of the photos he has taken of the cows and his letter to the farmer, and says goodbye one last time to the cows before riding his bike to school. The simple story is made poignant by the lack of a traditional happy ending: the farmer does not decide to keep his farm, and the boy does not rescue the cows and live happily ever after. An author's note admonishes readers (and presumably their parents) to preserve green space or children will have no place to play or dream, which seems a bit dire, given the age of the intended audience. This book is part of the publisher's "Books for Young Learners" series for fluent readers. 2006, Richard C. Owen Publishers, $5.00. Ages 6 to 8. Reviewer: Lauri Berkenkamp (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 1-57274-535-5
ISBN: 978-1-57274-535-3
Out and About at the Dairy Farm
Andy Murphy
Illustrated by Anne McMullen
Kids love field trips but they are not always possible or practical. This book offers a colorfully illustrated alternative, beginning with a list of "things to find out" that helps to focus readers before the fictional field trip begins. This tour of the Red Oak Dairy Farm begins with an introduction to the Holstein cows themselves. From here the reader is shown the important places found on the farm including the meadow where the cows graze, the field where some of their food is grown, the calf barn where new calves are cared for and the milking barn where the machine-assisted milking takes place. In the milking barn, each part of the milking process is explained simply. Written for the pre-K to first grade audience, this is a very simple introduction to what a student might expect to experience on an actual field trip. The only negative aspect to this otherwise well-written book is the addition of information in italic type on every two-page spread. The information, while relevant, could have just as easily been incorporated into the main body of text and therefore been less distracting to young readers. Adding to the overall usefulness of this book is a related activity (making "udderly" easy ice cream), a Learn More list, including books and Web sites, Fun Facts, an index and a Words to Know list. This is part of the "Out and About" series. 2003, Picture Window Books, $16.95. Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer: Trina Heidt (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 1-4048-0038-7
Rodeo Ron and His Milkshake Cows
Rowan Clifford
Rodeo Ron and his multicolored cows amble into the Old West town of Cavity, where everyone has bad teeth and burps constantly. The reason for the townsfolks' maladies becomes apparent when Ron enters the town soda bar, where identical brothers Frothy and Fruity serve up the sweetest drinks in town. When Ron badmouths the brothers' beverages, they challenge him to a shake-off--whoever can make the best drink in a variety of flavors wins. Frothy and Fruity are sure that their syrupy drinks will win. But Ron has a few tricks up his sleeve (or under his saddle)--it turns out that when his cows buck and kick, shiver and shake, they turn out the best milkshakes ever. Red churns out strawberry, Yellow makes banana, Blue makes blueberry. As for Green, she makes the best surprise of all, one that may put Frothy and Fruit out of commission forever and solve Cavity's problems once and for all. The repetitiveness of the plot and the somewhat didactic text may turn off some adults, but kids will probably fall for all the burp jokes, as well as for the lively pictures, which bring to mind Lois Lenski's vintage illustrations. 2005, Knopf, $15.95. Ages 3 to 6. Reviewer: Norah Piehl (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-375-83195-9
ISBN: 0-375-93195-3
Added May 22, 2007
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