Only Cows Allowed

November 1, 2011

K-Gr 2-A truckload of cows arrives at the barn of a first-time farmer. The animals are pleased with the accommodations, move in, and post "Only Cows Allowed" signs all around. A flock of chickens comes along and is turned away. But the poultry prove their worth by laying eggs and the farmer allows them to stay. Predictably, some horses and cats come along as well. All are turned away by the cows, but still stay on the farm. Then a bus full of pigs, sheep, goats, and geese comes along. They hustle into the barn, despite protestations from the cows, and all give birth. The farmer then decides that all the newborns are cause for a party, so he brings cake, confetti, and bubblegum and all the animals dance and celebrate. The unhappy cows leave the barn and move into the farmer's house and post the "Only Cows Allowed" sign. The watercolor illustrations enforce the tongue-in-cheek mood of the book. Four-legged animals walk around on two feet, a pig stands in defiance with one hoof on its hip. The browns, greens, and yellows enhance the earthy atmosphere of the farm. This book is preposterous from start to finish, but rather fun.-Ieva Bates, Ann Arbor District Library, MI

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2012
The cows set up shop in the barn and won't let the other animals in. They go over the cows' heads to the clueless farmer; eventually, the cows retreat to the house. Illustrations chronicle the antics with playfulness and humor. However, the text, with its hit-or-miss puns, is frustratingly hard to follow.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)