The Children’s Book Review | October 28, 2016
Cuddly Cow
Written and Illustrated by Axel Scheffler
Age Range: 0-3
Board Book: 12 pages
Publisher: Nosy Crow
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9325-1
What to expect: Barnyard animals, sounds, rhyme, bedtime
Cuddly Cow would like to go to sleep, but she can’t find a peaceful place to do it! The other cows in the field are too full of moos, and so she goes off on an adventure around the barnyard to find a cozy and quiet place to sleep. Next up is the chicken shed. Alas, there’s “too much clucking here…for me to go to bed!” Next is the horse stable and the pigpen. It’s not until she finds the field of sheep that she finally can rest. By counting her furry white friends, she falls fast asleep under the bright moon. Goodnight Cuddly Cow (and hopefully goodnight toddlers!).
This delightful board book is perfect for little hands. It’s small and colorful, made of sturdy thick pages. The book also features a big green button. When pushed, the button lets out a fantastic array of noises, including everyone’s favorite Cuddly Cow moo! Cuddly Cow herself is friendly and engaging, and toddlers will enjoy following her on her adventure to find peace and quiet. They will enjoy that, like them, Cuddly Cow might have a hard time going to sleep. Yet she finds peace and rest at last, and so can they. And the easy, rhyming prose creates a peaceful rhythm perfect for cuddling together with before bedtime.
The illustrations are done in gouache, and the bright and smooth renderings of the barnyard are beautiful. Full of soft lines and vibrant colors, any child will be drawn to Cuddly Cow and her barnyard friends.
Highly recommended.
Available Here:
About the Author-Illustrator
Axel Scheffler was born in Hamburg, Germany. At school he was good at art, but didn’t think of a career in illustration until he won a cuddly purple cow in a drawing competition. He moved to England to learn English and study illustration at the Bath Academy of Art and then set up home in London. He is the author-illustrator of the Pip and Posy series, Flip Flap Farm, and Flip Flap Safari, and has illustrated a number of books, including Julia Donaldson’s best-selling modern classic, The Gruffalo, which has sold millions of copies worldwide.
Cuddly Cow, by Axel Scheffler, was reviewed by Denise Mealy. Discover more books like Cuddly Cow by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with Axel Scheffler, Barnyard Animals, Bedtime Stories, Board Books, Cow Books, Farm Animals, and Rhyming Text.
