Moo Who? [Library Binding]

Margie Palatini (Author), Keith Graves (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Hilda Mae Heifer has lost her melodic mi-mi-moo!

A klunk on the head and now Hilda's simply not sure what sound to make.

Is it a mew, or an oink, or possibly a honk? With the eager help of the farm animals, Hilda is determined, once again, to sing her sensational moo. Which should most certainly be a MOO-MOOO-MOO-MOO.

Moo Who? is a raucous read-aloud for the youngest noisemakers.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2–When Hilda Mae Heifer gets knocked on the noggin by a cow pie, she wakes up without her "moo." She meets a series of barnyard animals and tries imitating each one. They all tell her she's a cow and ask her questions to prove that she is not their kin, yet she is still "not convinced that mooing was what she should be doing." A cat finally gets her back to normal, and Hilda resumes her loud, off-key mooing, while "everyone else got earplugs." The lost-voice premise is not a new one, but Palatini's way with words and Graves's slightly manic artwork instill the characters and setting with freshness and humor. Strong rhythms, occasional rhymes ("You're no swine. You're bovine"), and a variety of puns ("Are your relatives big boars?") liven up the narrative. The illustrations are filled with purples, blues, and gray-greens, lending a fantastical aura to the farmyard world. The switch to white backgrounds when each creature quizzes the cow paces the tale neatly. Hilda's absurdly prominent purplish nostrils and her enthusiastically goofy facial expressions are right on target. The scholarly goose and the rest of the animal cast each have distinct looks. The vigorous energy of author and artist makes this otherwise basic tale a good choice for reading aloud, or for one-on-one sharing.–Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. Palatini's tale of a cow suffering from an identity crisis is sheer entertainment from cover to cover. When Hilda the Heifer gets bonked on the noggin by a flying cow pie, she develops an ugly bump and amnesia. The ensuing story follows Hilda on her quest to find out just who she is, where she belongs, and exactly what sound she is supposed to emit. The author of Piggie Pie (1997), Moosetache (1995), and many others gets it exactly right with her dialogues between Hilda and the animals whose identities she tries to adopt. Children will revel in the giggle-inducing lists of each species' identifying characteristics, such as coughing up hairballs and laying eggs, as the mixed-up bovine stumbles her way to the realization that "mooing is what she should be doing." Laugh-out-loud details within Graves' illustrations--from Hilda's rumpled, postbump pompadour to the bottle of Hog Wash used by a very hygienic pig--are pure delight. Terry Glover
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Library Binding: 40 pages
• Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (June 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060001062
• ISBN-13: 978-0060001063
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 9.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,983,373 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Wow. My very first picture book -- PIGGIE PIE!, is celebrating
it's fifteenth anniversary this year! It tickles me to know that
'Gritch' is still giving giggles.
Visit her and my other characters on my website: www.margiepalatini.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars She's Done It Again!, June 14, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Moo Who? (Hardcover)

Margie Palatini has written a number of very entertaining books that have kept my students amused on more than one occasion. But, I think that Margie has outdone herself with Moo Who? ! This read-aloud is filled with everything children love. The language is funny, the plot is simple but well developed and the characters are so lovable! But this book is not just for kids....Margie manages to keep the adults interested as well. This is another hit for Margie Palatini!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great fun for parent and child, March 31, 2005

By 

Harold McFarland (Florida) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Moo Who? (Hardcover)

This is just what most children want in a favorite book; a humorous story and hysterical illustrations. Hilda Mae Heifer lost her moo, how can she discover the sound she is supposed to make? This is the story of how she lost her moo, her attempts to find out what sound a cow is supposed to make, and how Hilda Mae Heifer got her moo back. "Moo Who?" is highly recommended for a laugh out loud time with your child.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great kids book that would make a great gift too, July 1, 2006

By 

Amy (Harrisburg, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moo Who? (Hardcover)

We picked up this book by chance at the library and was delighted to find it was not only entertaining but rather smart, as well. It gives children (and their parents) credit for having a brain and uses a wide range of vocabulary not found in many children's book. Plus the illustrations were also very creative.