The Cow Loves Cookies (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Cow Loves Cookies Elizabeth Bush Wilson, Karma . The Cow Loves Cookies; illus. by Marcellus Hall. McElderry, 2010. 32p. ISBN 978-1-4169-4206-1 $16.99 R 3-7 yrs. The farmer knows exactly what his livestock needs: hay for the horse, chicken feed for the chickens, corn for the geese, slop for the pigs, doggie treats for the dog. One animal, however, eschews the standard farmyard fare: "The cow loves cookies." There's actually a perfectly good bovine reason for this, but kids won't discover it until they've rollicked their way through Wilson's delightful cumulative verses along with the farmer making his rounds: "Hay for horses, yes indeed./ Give those chickens chicken feed./ Corn for geese, they love it so./ But when it comes to cows, we know . . . / that the cow loves cookies!" Come lunchtime, the mystery is solved [End Page 505] when the farmer and the cow wander off for a private picnic lunch; Farmer brings the cookies, and the cow supplies milk for dunking. Rhymes are lively and steady, pitch perfect for a read aloud, and although Wilson ditches "Old MacDonald"– styled verbatim repetition in favor of more varied versifying, kids will chime in with a lusty "the cow loves cookies" right on cue. Sturdy ink outlines filled with confident swaths of watercolor will stand up well to group viewing. Hall's portly, bearded farmer has a hint of Santa-like joviality, which seems to have rubbed off on his well-fed stock, and the storytime set will get their giggle on watching the cow sneak cookies at every opportunity. Expect demands for repeat readings, and then break for a snack of, well, you know what. [End Page 506] Copyright © 2010 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois