Cows In the Kitchen

June Crebbin (author)

Katherine McEwan (illustration)

Walker Books, UK: 1998

ISBN: 9781406326321

Genre: picture book

‘Cows in the kitchen, moo, moo, moo,/ That's what we do Tom Farmer'

Cows in the kitchen, ducks on the dresser, pigs in the pantry, sheep on the sofa - Tom Farmer has a slight problem! But all his animals love him and a great deal of fun is had by all. Repetitive and rhyming, Crebbin's simple text can be either chanted or sung along to ‘Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou', much to the delight of beginning readers.

McEwan's brightly coloured illustrations with their zany animals will provoke chuckles. There is much here to stimulate observations skills. Apart from finding the various animals, look out for the mouse that can be found on every double-page spread and other details, such as the hen laying an egg through the hole in a teacosy and the cow with a doughnut on its horn.

It's great to see this title back in print. Carers should be prepared for multiple readings.