The Cowboy (I Like to Read) - Softcover

Muller, Hildegard

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0823433161 ISBN 13: 9780823433162

Publisher: Holiday House, 2015

Synopsis

Anna thinks the boy in the cowboy hat looks silly—but he's the only one who can save the day in this Guided Reading Level F story.

It's a beautiful day! Anna and her toy dog, Toto, are all set to visit the beach, where the girl will teach her pup to swim.  Toto is a quick learner, and Anna is having fun—until a wave pushes the floating toy far out into the ocean.

No one knows how to save Toto—except for the boy in the cowboy hat, who leaps into action to lasso the wayward dog!  Maybe he's not so silly after all.
This richly-illustrated story about friendship and first impressions is perfect for young readers just beginning to tackle more complex sentence structures.  The bright, charming artwork adds humorous detail—from Toto's tiny wheels to the Cowboy's aura of mystery—and helps support understanding of the text. 

The award-winning I Like to Read® series focuses on guided reading levels A through G, based upon Fountas and Pinnell standards.  Acclaimed author-illustrators--including winners of Caldecott, Theodor Seuss Geisel, and Coretta Scott King honors—create original, high quality illustrations that support comprehension of simple text and are fun for kids to read with parents, teachers, or on their own!

Level F books, for early first graders, feature longer, more varied sentences than Level E. Level F books encourage kids to decode new multi-syllable words in addition to recognizing sight words.  Stories are more complex, and illustrations provide support and additional detail. When Level F is mastered, follow up with Level G.

About this title

About the Author:

Hildegard Müller works as a graphic designer, illustrator, and author in her native Germany. She has written and illustrated many children's picture books. The original German edition of The Cowboy won the most prestigious award for children's books in Germany, the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis.

From School Library Journal:

K-Gr 2—The pictures in this book are so charming and expressive that it would be a shame to overlook it. Unfortunately, the story doesn't quite measure up to the artwork. Anna introduces herself and her dog, explaining that they are going to the beach so Toto can learn to swim. When a dangerous wave carries the pup out too far, it is the child whom Anna had dismissed earlier because of his "silly cowboy hat" who comes to the rescue, realizing that his lasso can be used to bring the dog to safety. Anna does demonstrate the value of recognizing the talents of others and remaining open to new friendships, but overall she is a disappointingly passive protagonist. VERDICT There's much to appreciate in the art, which might compensate for the slight story and make this a justifiable purchase where easy readers with spare text are in demand.—Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT

About this edition

• Publisher: Holiday House
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0823433161
• ISBN 13: 9780823433162
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 24