Cow

Wow! I just stumbled across this beautiful book while gathering cow-themed books for my 4 year old. It is such a illustrative masterpiece! The text and pictures are so peaceful and I found myself imagining the sounds of the pasture, stream, and milking pen as I read. What a treat for my eyes, ears, and imagination. I searched to see if this book was considered for a Caldecott medal, but it wasn't. How unfortunate, since it is such a work of art.

The story is a bit clinical in it's description of heavy aching udders, but the illustrations are incredible. For our cow obsessed toddler, this was perfect.

What a stunningly illustrated unexpected book. Have you ever driven past a field of cows and wondered what life is like in their eyes? Well this book will tell you. The artwork in Cows is so realistic you feel as though you could walk straight into the pages - out into the peaceful English countryside. The subtleties of light and shading in Rinaldi's paintings are incredible and he is obviously a highly accomplished artist. The artwork, combined with Malachy Doyle's simple yet powerful text, makes this book a 'must have' for any book collection.

From sun up to sun down, spend a day in the life of a dairy cow. Rise at dawn, "big and heavy", and head for the barn, ready to be milked. Then lumber back to the pasture to eat and chew your cud all day long, take a cool drink from the river, and maybe a nap in the shade of a tree during the hot afternoon. "Your ears twitch to clear the flies from your face. You swish them from your back with a long bushy tail." As dusk approaches it's time to head back to the barn for the evening milking. "You graze, you chew, and you rest. It's hard work being a cow." Malachy Doyle's spare text, told in the second person, is quiet, and poetic, and complemented by Angelo Rinaldi's stunning artwork. Mr Rinaldi's beautifully shaded, close-up, and detailed oil paintings are so realistic and lifelike that you'll think you're looking at photographs. Together word and art offer a simple and elegant peek at a cow's life down on the dairy farm. Perfect for youngsters 3-7, Cow is engaging, early non-fiction at its best, and an evocative picture book that shouldn't be missed.