Cowie

Cowie the donkey disdainfully compares the dreadful duties of donkeys, such as having people ride them and carrying heavy loads, to the content and admirable lives of cows with “their soft ears and their kind eyes.” In a moment of realization, Cowie decides he must stand with the cows to become one. He nibbles at grass and swishes his tail, but Cowie only makes “a donkey of [himself]” as he lets out an “oom” instead of a “moo.” Cowie’s devoted friends search for a solution to turn his “oom” around, trying remedies like freshening Cowie’s foul breath by chewing mint leaves. The friends finally hit on a clever strategy to take “turns taking turns” as they spin Cowie this way and that until his “oom” is finally turned around to come out just right as a “moo.” The lovely watercolor illustrations match Cowie’s peaceful, calm, and idealistic view of cow life and are a clear defining quality in this book as the story itself feels split between two concepts. The beginning of the storyline overflows with clever and endearing lines about Cowie’s dream, but the development unexpectedly changes with the interesting introduction of word direction, then ends on a rushed note of celebration—as the ability to simply say “moo” from left to right spares Cowie from the dreary burdens of being a donkey.