School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Cowgirl Kate wakes up her talking horse to go out on a late-night calf patrol. Sure enough, one of the cows is ready to give birth. Kate grabs her walkie-talkie to contact her parents but before she can reach them, the calf arrives. Despite Cocoa's complaints that cows are too much work, he finds the baby so sweet that he wants to stay all night to look after it. Later, when Kate's friend Jenny drives up to the farm, Cocoa is excited to think she might bring him a peppermint. Instead she brings Kate a puppy. Cocoa is obviously jealous of the new addition and ignores him until the puppy tickles his legs. When he learns that the puppy will help him with the cows, Cocoa welcomes him. In the third chapter, Cocoa mistakes baby barn owls for a ghost. While the stories are thin, this transitional first reader will appeal to fans of the other books in the series. Language is kept fairly simple and the ink and watercolor washes are humorous and light. The text lacks the real humor of beginning readers like Denys Cazet's "Minnie and Moo" series (HarperCollins) or Mo Willems's "Elephant & Piggie" books (Hyperion), but it is an adequate addition to fill the almost bottomless need for early chapter books.-Mary Hazelton, Elementary Schools in Warren & Waldoboro, ME (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
A horse is a horse, of course, of course, but when that horse has the gift of gab, and his best friend is Cowgirl Kate, then life on the ranch is never dull. Four short stories mark Cocoa and Kate's sixth adventure for the not-quite-ready-for-chapter-book set. Sweety Pie gives birth to a frisky calf; the calf diverts Cocoa from work; Cowgirl Kate receives a puppy as a present; and Cocoa and Kate discover a nest of barn owls. Home on this range is sweet and predictable. In the first story, grumpy Cocoa resents being awakened at night to hunt for new calves. Cocoa believes that nighttime is for sleeping and would tell the cows, but deadpans: "I don't want to wake them up." Yet, when Sweety Pie's calf is born, Cocoa relents: "That little one needs us...Let's stay and watch him until morning." This sentiment comes full circle as Cocoa, Kate, and the new puppy all agree to watch the barn owls while their "mama" is out hunting food. Full-color illustrations appear in multiple shapes and sizes, duplicating the action while providing text breaks for new readers. Giddyup! From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Spring brings new additions to the ranch where Cowgirl Kate and her horse, Cocoa, live. Soon after a calf is born in the pasture, a friend gives Kate a puppy. Then Kate and Cocoa investigate ghostly sounds in the barn and discover five baby owls. Written in five short chapters and illustrated with appealing watercolor artwork, the gently amusing story shows Kate taking responsibility on the ranch and smartly managing her rambunctious horse. From the Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa series, this episodic book has plenty of appeal.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist