From Publishers Weekly
A day in the life of a dairy cow is the centerpiece of this handsome and leisurely paced picture book. From dawn breaking in the dew-moistened meadow to a walk back into the field at dusk, Doyle (The Bold Boy) describes the cow's routine eating, resting and dutifully submitting to a milking machine in lulling, second-person text: "Your hooves click on the floor of the yard, the gate opens, and you enter the stall"; "The day warms up, and your breath comes hot and heavy from your broad, wet nose." The author offers occasional glimpses of the farmer and his children ("The children come to swing from the tree. Out over the river") but remains intent on the cow's experience ("You wait by the gate... your milk-full udders aching"). As fine complement, Rinaldi's (Rainy Day) elegantly rendered, photo-realistic oil paintings convey subtle changes in sunlight and shadow; his cows seem so lifelike that readers can almost hear the flies buzzing around them. A departure from the whimsical, Old MacDonald/ Click Clack Moo-style farms typically found in children's stories, this bucolic offering has sure educational value, but it may be realistic to a fault the monotony of the cow's existence seems unlikely to invite repeat readings. Ages 5-9.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 4-In a symbiotic relationship, illustrations and text gently wow the senses as readers follow a cow through her slow, quiet day. Early morning birds and the farmer's familiar whistle are heard while a sense of the animal's "breath-hot and heavy" from a "broad, wet nose" is clearly imparted. Later, near the end of the day, her "milk-full udders aching, "she waits by the gate. From endpaper to endpaper, the double-page illustrations complete the mood. Reminiscent of John Constable's work, the art has the feel of the English countryside but could also be scenes from Wisconsin or Iowa. The universality and timelessness reflected in the oil paintings is both nostalgic and contemporary. The lighting is exquisite. Warm glow at dawn, fading colors at dusk, and filtered light in the coppice capture the serenity and rhythm of the meadow matron's day. This oversized book will work well for sharing during storytimes, but the pastoral paintings also offer a private gallery for singular enjoyment. This is a book not to be missed.-Carolyn Janssen, Children's Learning Center of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
