The Cow Who Climbed a Tree - Hardcover

Merino, Gemma

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0807512982 ISBN 13: 9780807512982

Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company, 2016

Synopsis

Winner:
2017 CCBC Choices
2017 Charlotte Zolotow Award, Highly Commended Title

Tina isn't like the other cows. She believes that the sky is the limit and that everything is possible. But her sisters aren't convincedand when Tina tells them she has climbed a tree and met a dragon, they decide that her nonsense has gone too far. Off they go into the woods to find herand soon discover a world of surprises!

About this title

About the Author

Gemma Merino is the award-winning author of several children's books, including The Cow Who Climbed a Tree. She spent the first half of her life in her hometown near Barcelona where she became an architect with very itchy feet. And after living and working in Dublin, Tel Aviv, and finally London, she discovered the fascinating world of picture books. She received her MA in children's book illustration at the Cambridge School of Art.

Reviews

PreS-Gr 2—Tina is a cow with perfectly purple spots. Her three sisters have neat navy spots. Tina has "a thirst for discovery." Her sisters do not, preferring instead to focus on procuring fresh and juicy grass, like good cows do. One day, while exploring the woods, Tina decides to try something new, and climbs a tree ("Up and up she went. When she got to the top, Tina couldn't believe her eyes…"). Who knew there would be a dragon at the top of the tree? A friendly, vegetarian dragon. Wearing red boots. Tina and her new friend spend all afternoon talking about their dreams and sharing stories. That night, Tina tells her sisters about her new friend. They respond with their typical refrain of "IMPOSSIBLE! RIDICULOUS! NONSENSE!" The next morning, Tina's sisters find a note, announcing that Tina has "gone flying with the Dragon of the woods." Completely disgruntled, the three sisters stomp into the woods, where cows do NOT belong, to find Tina and bring her home. Entering the woods for the first time, the sisters are struck by its beauty. Dreamy illustrations, rendered in watery shades of supple reds and a variety of green and brown hues and highlighted with slightly fuzzy dark brown lines, build upon the text, making this a pleasurable read-aloud. The sublime silliness depicts Tina "flying" with the help of a parachute, along with a mouse, pig (yes, pigs fly), rabbit, and owl. And, as it turns out, her three sisters decide, "YES, WHY NOT?" and don parachutes to join the flying festivities. "And after that, they just couldn't wait to see what else was possible." VERDICT Readers will delight in listening to this story about creativity, independent thinking, and being true to oneself.—Lisa Kropp, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY

Edition details

• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0807512982
• ISBN 13: 9780807512982
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32