Moo

In a book that could have easily been titled Love That Cow (or Hate That Cow, actually) Newbery Medalist Creech uses short chapters that blend poems and prose to trace a displaced city girl's adjustment to life in a "boat-bobbing/ sea salty harbor town" in Maine. After 12-year-old Reena's parents move the family to Maine from "a harlequin city/ of sights and noises, / of museums and parks and music," there's more in store for Reena and her younger brother, Luke, than cold weather, lobster, and blueberries--starting with elderly Mrs. Falala and her menagerie of pets, including Zora, a cow as cantankerous as her owner. At their parents urging, Reena and Luke begin helping Mrs. Falala with chores, and before long Reena has agreed to take care of Zora and show her at the local fair, which requires work, patience, and help from more experienced livestock handlers. As Reena learns that a little kindness works wonders for both people and animals, Creech's spare narrative creates vivid, emotion-packed images of landscapes, characters, and "that/ wild-eyed/ heifer," Zora, that will stay with readers. Ages 8-12. Agent: Amy Berkower, Writers House. (Aug.)

Gr 3-6--Creech offers a memorable family story featuring an especially difficult cow. When Reena, 12, and her brother Luke, seven, move with their parents to Maine from the noisy bustle of New York City, lots of adjustments are required. The siblings appreciate each other and generally get along. The citified family is thrust into small-town life, and things get awkward when Reena's parents force her and Luke to help out a neighbor, Mrs. Falala, who owns a small menagerie of animals, including one very cantankerous cow. Creech employs a mix of prose and poems. The free verse poems contain spare punctuation, inventive spacing, and clever use of font. As Reena and Luke learn about farm life, they also discover more about Mrs. Falala, who impacts the lives of the family in unexpected ways. VERDICT A heartfelt tale that will be embraced by Creech's fans, work well as a classroom read-aloud, and find a spot in book groups.--Carol A. Edwards, Formerly at Denver Public Library