"A moo-ve-lous, moo-ving tribute to love for a child."—Kirkus Reviews
"A book that has the feel of a cherished homemade valentine from a devoted parent who is fond of wordplay."—Publishers Weekly
"Readers young and old will love the wordplay, smile at the adoring relationship between cow and calf, and be reminded that love has no bounds."—School Library Journal
08/07/2020
PreS-Gr 1—Lichtenheld and Rosenthal's latest is an ode to love and the special relationship between a parent and child. The sparse text and exaggerated use of the three little letters that spell "moo" will have preschoolers giggling. "I love giving you a big s-moo-ch" has a playfulness that is utterly matched by the crayon-effect illustrations. The mostly black and white drawings are set upon tan pages and enhanced by pops of primary colors throughout. Readers young and old will love the wordplay, smile at the adoring relationship between cow and calf, and be reminded that love has no bounds. VERDICT A joyful read and worthy addition to any library collection.—Maegen Rose, Rye Country Day Sch., NY
2020-07-14
Cowabunga! Love is surely the cow’s moo-ow!
In this brief, adorable lovefest, a black-and-white adult bovine caregiver expresses heartfelt adoration for its little one using delightful, comical plays on the word moo. Some of the puns are obvious, though they’ll be no less chuckle-inducing to young readers/listeners. Take, for instance, the words moo-d, moo-vies, moo-sic, and moo-se. (A delicious, winking nod to a very famous children’s-book title also appears near the end.) Some puns are trickier, with moo’s occurring midword—hu-moo-r; marsh-moo-llows—and/or appearing in less familiar words, such as moo-zzarella, com-moo-nicator, and sch-moo-zing. In every case, moo is depicted with the o’s filled in so it stands out in sharp relief whenever it appears. This helps youngsters identify targeted words both visually and aurally. Aside from its value as a very simply told, sweet, humorous, reassuring charmer, this book develops vocabulary creatively. After children have listened to the story, they should have an udderly grand time volunteering their own word lists that might include plays on moo and other cow-related words. Even the calf in the story gets into the act with its own moo pun at the end. Simple illustrations feature bold outlines; a basic tan, black, and white palette with touches of red; and occasional changes in lettering and font for emphasis. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9.5-by-19-inch double-page spreads viewed at 82.8% of actual size.)
A moo-ve-lous, moo-ving tribute to love for a child. (Picture book. 3-7)
