I'll Love You Till the Cows Come Home

by Kathryn Cristaldi, Kristyna Litten (Illustrator)

Overview

Love knows no bounds in this tender tribute to the depths of family love. For fans of Guess How Much I Love You—only funnier! Makes a good baby shower or Valentine's Day gift.

This book extends the saying “I’ll love you till the cows come home” to the humorous extreme. Along the way there are yaks in Cadillacs, sheep setting sail, frogs on big-wheeled bikes, and more, in this great read-aloud.

I’ll Love You Till the Cows Come Home is filled with warm, funny art and rhythmic, romping text, perfect for curling up with your little one at the end of the day...or anytime you want to express your love.

I will love you till the cows come home from a trip to Mars through skies unknown, in a rocket ship made of glass and stone… I will love you till the cows come home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062574206
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	12/18/2018
Series:	I'll Love You Till
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	32,607
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Kathryn Cristaldi is a former children’s book editor. She is the author of many books for young readers, including I’ll Love You Till the Cows Come Home. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and daughter.

Kristyna Litten is a children’s book writer and illustrator. She has written and illustrated several books, including Chickens Can’t See in the Dark, Ori’s Stars, and Around the World in 80 Dogs, as well as created artwork for book covers, magazines, and television advertisements. Kristyna lives in Yorkshire, England.

Editorial Reviews

11/12/2018
Cristaldi (Baseball Ballerina) takes a familiar expression and develops it into a melodic bedtime story. The cows of the title begin in an idyllic pasture but soon blast into outer space: “I will love you till the cows come home/ from a trip to Mars through skies unknown.” Silly circumstances ensue—sailing sheep, wolves in hot air balloons, and frogs on big-wheeled bikes escalate the idea throughout (“In a circus for sea horses,/ shrimp,/ and bass./ I will love you till the frogs ride past”). Litten illustrates the animals’ exuberant adventures in a sweet, non-naturalistic style, with muted colors and sharp backgrounds that grow cozy as the cows and all of the other adventuring animals make their way home and to bed: “I’ll love you till then, and again and again,/ till my love makes a bed for the cows in their pen.”Ages 4–8. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly

"In a crowded genre, this zany title is outstanding in its field—along with the cows." — Kirkus Reviews

"This rhyming narrative teaches children the comforting lesson that love is eternal. A cozy book with a message that is familiar to all and tailor-made for one-on-one sharing." — School Library Journal

"This bedtime read-aloud is both hilarious and comforting." — ALA Booklist

From the Publisher

"This bedtime read-aloud is both hilarious and comforting."

ALA Booklist

12/01/2018
PreS-Gr 1—This rhyming narrative teaches children the comforting lesson that love is eternal. Utilizing the old adage "Till the cows come home," Cristaldi takes a variety of animals and puts them in outlandish situations. The opening pages show adorable cows on a rocket ship with the accompanying text; "I will love you till the cows come home—from a trip to Mars through skies unknown in a rocket ship made of glass and stone. I will love you till the cows come home." The proceeding pages are filled with yaks driving a fire truck, deer in a tap dancing contest, wolves in hot air balloons and much more. The narration then transitions into bedtime mode with the gentle reminder that "I will love you till then, and again and again, till my love makes a bed for the cows in their pen…" and viewers see all the animals from the previous adventures settling down for a good night's sleep. Litten's illustrations are whimsical and boisterous. VERDICT A cozy book with a message that is familiar to all and tailor-made for one-on-one sharing. An optional purchase for larger collections or for those looking to expand their cozy nighttime reads.—Amy Nolan, St. Joseph Public Library, MI

School Library Journal

2018-09-17

An imaginative entry in the I'll-love-you-forever category.

Books that explore a parent's love for their child are a dime a dozen and feature characters that range from cartoon people to cuddly, round-faced forest animals and everything in between. The language is usually either straightforward or poetic and lyrical. This title offers an unusual variation. Rhyming verses tell readers they'll be loved until the scenarios described come to pass, and these grow more and more fantastical as the book progresses: "I will love you till the ants march in / wearing tiny ant hats and tiny ant grins / and birthday cake crumbs on their tiny ant chins. / I will love you till the ants march in." Till "the cows come home" (from Mars), "the yaks come back" (from a snack run), "the sheep set sail," "the wolves return" (from a hot air balloon trip), "the frogs ride past" ("on big-wheeled bikes"), "the deer dance by" (wearing top hats), and "the geese flap down," and even beyond that, this child will be loved. The ending is a perfect bedtime complement, adding in the moon, sleeping animals, and frogs strumming violins. Litten's mixed-media digital illustrations play up the silly situations, while the muted, blue-dominant palette will keep them from winding kids up too much before bed.

In a crowded genre, this zany title is out standing in its field—along with the cows. (Picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews