The Cow Who Clucked

July 10, 2006
Fleming's (Barnyard Banter
) signature cotton fiber illustrations are as sumptuous as ever in this tale of a farmyard mix-up. For reasons not revealed, Cow wakes up "to find she had lost her moo." But who has her moo? None of the usual suspects pans out—although Cow's quest gives readers the opportunity to make a number of crowd-pleasing sounds, plus Cow's catchy refrain: "It is not you who has my moo." Not until the end of a disappointing day does Cow discover that one of the chickens sounds distinctly unchicken-y. "Hen!" Cow shouts. "It is you
who has my moo
!" Sounds are mysteriously exchanged and order is restored under starry rural skies. Rich, unusual textures and luxuriant colors, long Fleming's hallmark, here combine in a way that makes every composition feel positively indulgent. Cow, rendered in chocolate brown accented in electric red and ultramarine, seems like a celebration of all things bovine; even the tiny yellow birds and skinny green snake take on a luminous presence, as if put on the page to remind the audience of just how wonderful the world is. Will readers be frustrated by the lack of explanation for the story's premise and conclusion? Perhaps—then again, these pages could be seen as a gorgeous launching pad for a question every youngster savors answering: "What do you think happened?" Ages 4-8.

Starred review from August 1, 2006
PreS-Gr 1 -A cow wakes up to find that she has lost her moo and is clucking instead. She visits various creatures throughout the countryside, clucking at them and getting answers in their natural sounds. -'Cluck, cluck, - said Cow. 'Meow, - said Cat. 'It is not you who has my moo, - said Cow. And on she went. - The repetitive refrain, -It is not you who has my moo, - has a sonorous charm and invites participation. Some readers will quickly realize that if Cow is clucking, she should go directly to Hen to find her moo. The Greek chorus of yellow chicks (who apparently follow Cow because she sounds like their mother) might be another wink to readers. When Cow at last finds Hen mooing, the two animals trade sounds and the chicks -silent up to this point -immediately find their own voice: -peep. - The gentle inside jokes, the animal sounds, and the repetitive phrase constitute only a fraction of this book -s appeal. Fleming is, after all, a thrilling illustrator whose pulp-painting technique brings subtlety and texture to densely colored art. Here, she creates a countryside inspired by Van Gogh, and the net result is some of her most sensational artwork to date. The layers of subtle humor and visual splendor are truly impressive." -Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY"

Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2006
When Cow awakens one morning to find herself making a "cluck" instead of a "moo," she begins a quest for her lost sound. She talks with Dog, Bee, Cat, Fish, Duck, Goat, Mouse, Snake, Squirrel, and Owl, but each animal makes its proper sound. Only when she returns to the barn and greets Hen with a "Cluck, cluck" does she hear the "Moo, moo" she has been missing. Their exchange of greetings makes the magical switch she has been longing for, and the happy Cow lets out a bellowing "Mooo." Fleming illustrates the story using her signature technique of pulp painting, in which the finished art is created as an integral part of the paper-making process. The large, deeply hued, double-page compositions feature the determined cow surrounded by a winning cast. Evidently inspired by Van Gogh's " Starry Night," the endpapers add a distinctive beginning and ending to this pleasing picture book, which offers opportunities for children to chime in with farm animal sounds and to predict the story's outcome.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)