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Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3-- `` `It's a known fact cows don't fly,' '' says Miss Rosemary, but apparently Gertrude has not heard. She's the picture of bovine grace as she glides over the farm cutting figure eights, and simply radiates contentment. Miss Rosemary, on the other hand, is concerned about what the neighbors will think and wonders how she could possibly milk a flying cow. With dogged determination, the elderly woman sets about bringing Gertrude down. After several nearly disastrous attempts, she begins a subtler campaign by bringing in a substitute ``cow.'' Johnson's high-flying original tale will have preschool listeners rolling off their sit-upons. The only question is who will be their favorite character--the uniquely talented and territorial Gertrude or the wily Miss Rosemary. His full-color, acrylic paintings are the perfect match for the humorous story. Executed in pastel tones with backgrounds reminiscent of Seurat, these fine illustrations reveal the changing moods and gradual dishevelment of this fine country lady and the bliss experienced by her cow. Youngsters will enjoy noticing Miss Rosemary's goose and pig, whose expressions range from perplexity to aggravation to satisfaction to complete amazement. A virtuoso debut! --Jeanne Marie Clancy, Upper Merion Township Library, King of Prussia, PA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
In a starred review, PW called this story of a brazen bovine who insists on flying "an impressively polished first book" and "a merry and mirthful story." Ages 3-6. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
Miss Rosemary is distraught over the conduct of Gertrude, her cow, who refuses to conform to proper behavior and persists in flying around in the sky. Miss Rosemary vainly tries shouting and argument, bribery with a bale of alfalfa, casting a fishing line, and throwing a lasso. When she resorts to guile, she is triumphant, and all is serene -- until Gertrude takes up driving the tractor. A foolish, funny story made all the more amusing by the lively, good-humored illustrations showing a very superior Gertrude and a baffled Miss Rosemary. From HORN BOOK 1993, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Poor Miss Rosemary! Gertrude, her cow, has a mind of her own, and now she's literally up in the air, where neither threats, promises, lures, nor lassoes ensnare her. Solution: a sturdy-looking replacement--stitched together, stuffed, shod with roller skates, and dubbed ``Matilda''--so provokes Gertrude's jealousy that she comes ``down like a rocket..land[s] squarely on Matilda and mashe[s] her flat.'' Johnson, ``a well-known painter from Kentucky's Appalachian coalfields,'' tells his comical tall tale with a pleasantly brisk lilt and sets it firmly in mountain farm country, outlining the vagrant cow and her vigorous, matronly mistress in authoritative black, dappling the landscape in luminous color, and deftly varying full-page scenes with spreads and vignettes. A delightful and well-polished first performance. (Picture book. 4-8)
Booklist Review
Ages 4-7. Here's a delightful piece of nonsense that has the advantage of just the right art to illustrate the fun. Miss Rosemary doesn't know what the neighbors are going to say; her cow, Gertrude, has begun flying. Calling her doesn't get Gertrude down, even offering her alfalfa doesn't do it. So, deciding to trick the fool cow down, Miss Rosemary sews a fake cow that she pretends has snagged the job of farm cow. That gets Gertrude's attention all right; she finally takes a dive and smashes the fake cow flat. But just when Miss Rosemary thinks she's got Gertrude back in the bovine business, Gertrude spots a tractor, and off she goes again. Johnson milks every bit of fun out of this story featuring an insouciant cow, an ornery old lady, and a life-size stuffed replacement romping their way through eye-catching acrylic artwork that shows finesse as well as fun. Kids will see themselves in Gertrude, not wanting to stay home, not wanting to come home, but determined no one else will take their place. A terrific debut from a new author/illustrator. (Reviewed Feb. 1, 1993)0531054810Ilene Cooper