3 out of 4 stars
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In the illustrated children's book, How a Cow made Broccoli, young readers encounter a very sad cow who lives in a barn. You see, all the other animals around the cow, each have their own favorite vegetables. However, the cow has yet to find her very own favorite green vegetable. This is enough to bring the poor cow to tears. She cries so much that she soon creates a puddle of her own tears. It is at this point that the author, Gomathy S, brings a fairy cow mother into the story. This fairy cow mother is willing to grant the cow's wish to have her own favorite green vegetable, but only if the cow is able to successfully complete the task given to her by the fairy cow mother. Once the cow completes her mission, the fairy cow mother can do her magic that will produce the vegetable.
The cow understandably gets excited. However, this causes her to work too quickly, resulting in a job that is not quite up to par. The next day, the cow decides to take her time working. Although she does a good job, the cow fails to complete her task by evening. Now on her third chance, the cow thinks hard about how she can complete her task properly, while staying within the time frame given to her by the fairy cow mother. Will the cow's plan work this time? Will the fairy cow mother be satisfied and able to do her magic?
This book is geared towards children within the ages of 4 to 8 years, and also towards the grade levels of kindergarten through 2nd grade. Overall, I feel this book is indeed suitable for this target age group and reading level. I find the illustrations to be quite charming in their basic nature. Just seeing the tiny, flying cow makes me smile. The language used is appropriate for the target audience. However, younger readers will likely still benefit from being read aloud to by older siblings or caregivers. The older children within the target audience should be able to read this book with ease, and it may even be a bit too easy for some who are already reading chapter books.
The aspect I most enjoyed in my reading of this book, is the way the author is able to weave into the story line, age appropriate moral lessons. For example, the fairy cow mother does not simply grant the cow her wish. Rather, the cow must work hard to complete her given task before she is rewarded with her desired green vegetable. In addition to learning how to work hard to accomplish a goal, the cow must also learn and implement other important life lessons, such as patience. I also like the way the author includes color words throughout the book. This occurs naturally in the text when naming which vegetables are favorites of the other animals, such as an orange carrot. This could be helpful for younger readers who are either still learning their colors, or are learning to describe the physical appearances of different objects.
I recommend this fun little story for family or classroom reading time. It can be used as a gateway to open discussions about teamwork, perseverance, and even the importance of eating your vegetables. I give How a Cow made Broccoli the rating of 3 out of 4 stars. I did encounter a few errors while reading this book, but nothing that would keep me from recommending it to others. Adults who enjoy sharing with the children in their lives, stories that include lessons and morals, will benefit from adding this book to their toolbox. In addition, children who enjoy stories featuring animals and positive, friendly endings will likely find this book appealing and want to add it their bookshelves. I do happily suggest grabbing a copy of this book and enjoying some quality time with your child or children, or reading the story during circle time with your students.
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How a Cow made Broccoli
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