THE COW LOVES COOKIES

While most of the farmer’s animals enjoy their critter foods (chickens chomp chicken feed, geese gobble corn, horsey nibbles hay), cow inexplicably loves cookies. Well-executed, bouncing rhyme will have children bobbing their heads as the farmer makes his feeding rounds and cow sneaks sugary treats. Hall’s sure-handed strokes of graphite carve out friendly, watercolor animals and farm vistas. Something wonderfully retro spreads across these pages of perky-eyed creatures. Their eyebrows pop from their foreheads with classic, expressive “U” shapes; fields of dirty greens, mustardy tans and khaki browns conjure up the comforting palette of mid–20th-century picture books. The farmer’s red gingham shirt and navy overalls recall the traditional, bright colors of the same era, while a perfect blue sky hovers above. Children might miss these subtle allusions, but they will still bask in the book’s warmth. Text settles comfortably both within the artwork and the bordering white space, seamlessly integrating sounds and story with illustration. This self-assured, simple and successful picture book closes with a goofy, age-old punchline that will get giggles every time. (Picture book. 2-6)