A Particular Cow– Mem Fox Book

Bibliography:

Fox, Mem. 2006. A PARTICULAR COW. Ill. by Terry Denton. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Books. ISBN 0-15-200250-2.

Plot Summary:

This is a hysterical book about an adorable cow that goes on a walk on a sunny Saturday morning but runs into some very unlikely trouble.  She walks right into a pair of bloomers hanging on a clothes line that covers her eyes so she can’t see where she is going.  She creates havoc as she runs into a postman and his mail, a pack of dogs and a wedding to name a few.  She has no idea what craziness she is causing with not being able to see because of those darn bloomers covering her eyes!

Critical Analysis:

There is something so innocent about the way the cow in A Particular Cow looks and acts, it’s lovable and endearing.  She’s just innocently going for a walk but accidentally causes all sorts of havoc without really realizing it because the poor thing can’t see beyond the bloomers that have gotten stuck on her head.  The word particular describes the cow and everyone and everything she comes across while on her walk.  Repetition of words is important when teaching vocabulary to children; they will remember the word particular and have a clear idea of what it means after reading this book. 

What’s so great about the plot line in this story is you never know what she’s going to come across.  How unlikely is it that a cow would get a pair of bloomers stuck on her head and then cross paths with a couple getting married, a postman, a group of sailors and a pack of dogs?  The storyline keeps you guessing what she will get herself into next which creates a great story.  The story is not a complicated one, it’s simple, but it’s amusing and fun to read.  There isn’t a lesson or message to be learned or a balance between good and evil which is a bit unfortunate.  If a teacher or parent was reading this book they couldn’t have a discussion about much to teach a lesson.  It’s just a simple, cute book.

The wedding scene in the book is what I would consider to be a traditional wedding, white dress, arch the couple stands under, so if a child from a different part of the world where weddings do not look like this they might find it to be interesting.  Other than this the customs and traditions are pretty Americanized.

Because the author lives in Australia but grew up in Zimbabwe I thought there would be influences of either in the illustrations or characters but I couldn’t find anything.  The setting, the animals and people are rather generic; nothing shows any influence of Australia or Zimbabwe which is rather disappointing.   The illustrations overall are adorable, very colorful and a lot to look at but I do not find them to be rich in cultural details or diversity.   

Review Awards and Excerpts:

“A read-aloud gem, this uproarious picture book contains an absurdly appropriate plot.” – Publisher’s Weekly Review

“The cartoon illustrations bounce with energy and are suffused with warm colors. Udders and undies combine to make this funny read-aloud a sure hit.” – School Library Journal Review

Connections:

·         I would use this book as part of a cow storytime theme.  This is a cute book with colorful illustrations that a young group of children would find cute.  As you are reading the book you could ask the children what they think the cow will run into next.  You could also ask them what they would do if they came across a cow running around with bloomers on her head.  It is a fun book for young children to point out actions and the craziness this cow causes.

·         If a teacher was doing a “write your own short story” lesson this book would be a good one to use.  It’s a good example of how to write an amusing story with such a simple storyline.  This story and illustrations show how a simple concept can be highly amusing and a great little story.