The Cow That Went OINK [Hardcover]

Bernard Most (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 2 and up

A cow that oinks and a pig that moos are ridiculed by the other barnyard animals until each teaches the other a new sound.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Most slips several important morals--and considerable wit--into this entertaining barnyard tale, which centers on a cow that says "Oink" rather than "Moo." The other cows all laugh at this poor creature ("Moo-ha"), as do all of the other animals on the farm ("Neigh-ha"; "Baa-ha"; "Cluck-ha"; etc.). The cow is despondent, until one day she hears a friendly "Moo." Much to her surprise, the sound comes from a pig, who is also ostracized by her peers (who, of course, laugh "Oink-ha"). The two decide to teach each other the appropriate sound to make, and persevere even when the other animals jeer at them. In the end, the cow and the pig can both "moo" and "oink"--and get the last laugh, since the other creatures can only make one sound. Very young readers will love the silly animal laughs and the story's repetition. Older readers will appreciate the humor, and will absorb such subtle messages as the importance of helping others, even if they are different; of rising above the cruelty of others; and of sticking to a difficult task until it is mastered. That's a lot for one picture book to accomplish. Ages 2-8.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1-- A simple, sensitive story that lends itself to creative dramatization, participation, and self-expression. A cow and a pig are laughed at because they aren't like the other farm animals. Through friendship and determination, they turn the situation around, and the story ends on a high note with both animals being different in a positive way. Since many words, such as "moo" and "oink," are capitalized and repeated throughout, both memory and word recognition skills are strengthened. One single large-print sentence appears on the top of each page. Children will especially like the pages showing the many different farm animals with their corresponding word-balloon sounds. Most's cartoonlike drawings in vivid, colorfully blended Pantone markers support the mood and the message of the story. A read-aloud that can easily motivate class discussion. --Judith A. Galganski, Reinstein Memorial Library, Cheektowaga, NY
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1st edition (September 12, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152201955
• ISBN-13: 978-0152201951
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 10.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #468,713 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT BOOK FOR BILINGUAL CHILDREN, July 5, 2000

By 

George Swan - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cow That Went OINK (Hardcover)

Bernard Most has a great way of getting his message across in a very simple way. A cow says "oink" and is made fun of by other cows. He looks the same as the other cows but his language is different. Then comes a pig that says "moo"; the other pigs make fun of him. The cow and pig end up together and teach their "language" to each other. The two truly become bilingual! A nice book to help children NOT make fun of those who speak a different language. They can truly learn from each other.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent therapy tool for speech/language pathology!, May 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Cow That Went OINK (Hardcover)

This book covers all the bases for a teacher or speech/language pathologist: peer acceptance, team work, perseverance, pragmatics, sequencing, and play on words! I love it! I have used it with K-2 using felt characters to act out the story and the kids love it! Some of them get very pensive as if they are all too familiar with the character's struggles. My only complaint is the ending. I am careful to explain or minimize the ending because I didn't like that they laughed back at the other animals.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Delightful Must Have!, November 26, 2000

By 

Average Guy (W. Newton, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cow That Went OINK (Hardcover)

From a parent and kindergarten teacher's perspective, this is a fantastic book. It is one of our family's favorites. We laugh throughout the book each time we read it. Bernard Most's simple and clever use of language and illustrations makes it a classic to read over and over. I have recommended this book to many parents and teachers. It is also a wonderful book for pre and emergent readers to read with adults.