Sailor Moo: Cow at Sea (Golden Kite Honors (Awards))

Little does she know,

when she sets off toward the sea,

that the first crew she joins

will be composed of cats.

Or that she herself will be hailed

by a shipload of pirate steers

as their captain¹s dairy queen.

It's amoozing where a dream

can take a girl --

a truth which Lisa Wheeler

and Ponder Goembel relish here

in rollicking words

and witty, windblown pictures.

Amazon.com Review
Most dairy cows are content to stand and graze and chew. But not Moo. She forsakes her life of "waving wheat" for ocean waves in Lisa Wheeler and Ponder Goembel's witty and wonderful rhyming picture book Sailor Moo: Cow at Sea. Children will be immediately swept up in the story of a cow who seeks bluer pastures and hoofs it to the bay: "Yo-ho-ho / And a shiver-me-be / Whoever heard of a cow at sea?" The feline crew of a fishing boat agrees to take Moo on board if she will pay her way in fresh milk. It's a deal: "Moo loved the way the ocean sang. / 'Like moo-sic,' she would utter, / as rocking, rolling ocean waves / would churn her milk to butter." Once aboard, she befriends her sea cousins, the manatees, which turns out to be fortuitous--when she's thrown overboard in a "sudden, savage gale," they come to her rescue. But, what's this? The goggle-sporting sea cows take her to a crusty cattle barge of pirates led by Red Angus! Moo is dismayed: "Moo's heart was pure, so she was sure / it must be a mistake. / Looting steers? Cow buccaneers? / She felt her stomachs ache...." But when Red Angus gazes into Moo's eyes, his heart warms and his rough edges smooth: "In Moo he'd seen his dairy queen / and now he must reform." Adventure, romance, and darn-good storytelling combine with perfect meter, delightful puns (milk it, Lisa!), and fantastically lively, artful, and expressive illustrations to make this one of our favorite picture books of the year. Highly recommended. (Ages 3 to 7) --Karin Snelson

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All Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Five stars for the illustrations; two stars for the clumsy, syntax-deficient writing, 2008-11-02
My kids really like this book -- it's original and engaging. Having said that -- I often make up my own words to the pictures because the original words are so awful in places. In order to preserve a rigid rhyme scheme, Wheeler mixes up verb tenses, tosses out definite articles, and generally makes a chopped salad out of the English language in her attempts at wit. Maybe the words were supposed to be set to music? Whenever I read it I get the sense that something's missing or just wrong with the way the words go together. I would love to see anything else by this illustrator (Ponder Goembel).


0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Whoo-Hoo for Sailor Moo!, 2008-04-24
Give this book a try, you won't be disappointed! Sailor Moo is a delight, and is one of the children's favorite.


0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Absolutely Awesome!!!, 2007-10-25
I bought this book on Amazon based on a few good reviews and the Golden Kite Award and I have to say that this book was an astounding success with my two young boys. The drawings by Ponder Goembel are both hilarious and endearing, and the story is intelligent and fun. This book is sure to be a favorite (for at least a few months) for kids and parents alike.


0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

By Adults for Adults-not a good choice for kids, 2007-02-19
I got this book from the library after seeing it on a list of good picture books, and I'm certainly glad I didn't pay for it. Sailor Moo is a terrible choice if you're looking for something to enjoy reading with young kids (my kids are 4 and 6). The rhyme is loaded with words and phrases that are way over kids heads, and reads like it was written for adults. I like a story that can be enjoyed by both parents and children as much as anyone but this one leaves the kids cold. Skip it.


2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Love it!, 2006-09-12
I've read it to my daughter (she's 23), my husband and, of course, my grandchildren. We all loved it. Maybe because we own cows, but I think it's the talent of Lisa Wheeler's rhymes we enjoy the most. And the illustrations are wonderful too. You can even see to hairs on Moo's face. Don't miss this book.

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