Cows Can’t Jump (but They Can Certainly Make You Laugh!) A book by Dave Reisman and Illustrated by Jason A. Maas

Cows Can't JumpCows Can’t Jump by Dave Reisman and Illustrated by Jason A. Maas. Ages 4+ (Easily enjoyable for children ages 1 to 6). 44 pages. Jumping Cow Press.  October 2008.  ISBN-13: 978-0980143300 Fiction. $7.99 Paperback, $11.99 Board book, $3.99 ebook.

At a Glance:

This book works great as an early reader or as a baby book.  Humorously depicted animals, bright and bold cartoon illustrations, and repeating text of what each animal can and cannot do, makes this an entertaining book that has taught my son some great vocabulary words.  I highly, highly recommend it! 

(I asked my two-year-old son if he thinks other people would like this book and he said, “Yes!”  I asked him why they would like it and he said, “Because I like it.”  Fair enough.)

Summary:

19 different animals and their actions are discussed and illustrated in Cows Can’t Jump. The illustrations are done in bright and bold colors.  The cartoon animals are drawn with bold, black lines with expressive facial features.  The story repeats with interchangeable animals and what actions they can and cannot do.

Cows can’t jump…but they can swim.

Gorillas can’t swim…but they can swing.

Giraffes can’t swing… but they can gallop.

Our Experience Reading this Book:

I have read this book to my son over and over again.  He loves it.  It’s funny and entertaining.  The cartoon illustrations make it accessible to him.  He’s learned some great vocabulary words:  stampede, wallow, spring (as in to leap), scurry, and canter, which he has promptly incorporated into his pretend play.  “Hurry, Mama, let’s scurry!” is one of my favorite phrases that he’s started saying.

I wish I had known about this book sooner.  I would have loved to read this book to him when he was a baby.  Cows Can’t Jump comes in several formats, with my personal favorite being the board book.  It’s quite large, about twice the size of a typical board book, both in length and width.  The large illustrations and text make the book especially engaging.  We also have the paperback version of this book, and keep that in the car.  My son has memorized this book, and he often “reads” it to me when I’m driving.

I’ve also found my son looking through this book by himself on several occasions.  We own hundreds upon hundreds of picture books (maybe nearing the thousand mark) — so it is noteworthy when he singles out a book to read on his own.

This will be a great early reader book as well.  The font and words are very clear.  The illustrated actions and animals will help him figure out what the words are, along with him already having the book memorized.

I’m very pleased with this book.  The illustrations, the repetitive yet changing phrases, and the vocabulary, are great things to help him as he learns to read.  They are all also entertaining and fun.  It’s the best of both worlds.

Ignore the age recommendation of 4+  — it’s great for a baby, it great for a toddler, and even for a child as old as six or seven.  It’s simply a fantastic book for kids.  This book can set an early reader up for success and can also entertain a baby.

There’s another book by Dave Reisman and Illustrated by Jason A. Maas: Cows Can’t Quack.  It, too, is fantastic.  I’ll be posting a review for this book soon.

Author/Illustrator Websites:

Some of Our Favorite Reviews of this Book:

Resources:

Where Obtained:   I received a review copy from the publisher.  No other compensation was received.  The opinions expressed here are my own.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

FTC Disclosures:  Some of the links in the post above are Amazon affiliate links. If you click on the link and purchase the book, I will receive an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

__________________________________________________________________

childrensbookshelf

I’m participating in The Children’s Bookshelf.  This is  a weekly Linky party that connects parents with great books for their kids.  Please add one of your book-related posts to the Linky party.

Click here to enter your link and see links others have added.  It will be added to all of the following co-hosts listed below.  This is a fantastic group of people and I am always impressed with the book recommendations they have.  You can find more details here.

Please also follow  The Children’s Bookshelf on Pinterest or visit The Children’s Bookshelf’s co-hosts:

What Do We Do All Day?

No Twiddle Twaddle

Smiling Like Sunshine

My Little Bookcase

Sprout’s Bookshelf

MeMeTales

Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns

Please Note: Kindly link up to an individual post, not your blog’s homepage. The hosts reserve the right to delete any links to homepages, commercial links, repeat links or otherwise inappropriate links. Thank you for your understanding.

13 comments

What Do You Think?

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.