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copy: It's that wonderful time of year, when once more cows have come
back to the family home to be together around the Christmas tree. But
while dancing the Cowpoke Polka, Moosha CRASHES through the floor!
The whole family tries to pull her out - Pa even brings out the tractor -
but Moosha stays stuck, right in the only place the tree can go.
Will Christmas even come this year? But then these clever cows come
up with a way to save Christmas and begin a fine cow tradition. Dori
Chaconas's funny rhyming story and Lynne Chapman's hilarious illustrations
combine to make a happy present for the entire family.
Behind the scenes: There are three (quite lovely) cow characters
in the book, and I had the pleasure and the fun of naming them after three
(quite lovely) writer friends - Lisa Wheeler stars as LooWeesa,
Marsha Hayles excels in the role of Moosha, and Linda Sue Park
gives a delightful performance as Lindy Soo. (I hope none of
them are offended about having to wear those cow hides.) Please
visit their websites!
LISA
WHEELER 
MARSHA
HAYLES 
LINDA
SUE PARK
Booklist:
This rhyming story of what happens when too many cows come home--not to a barn, but to a real house--is a nifty twist on holiday books. Using pastel chalk, Chapman gives barnyard bovines a homey, humorous look, decking them out in overalls, jumpers, and, for one baby calf, jammies. The story moves from greeting at the door on a winter's night, with chalky mounds of snow and a sky dotted with stars, to cows' chowing down and then joining in a Cowpoke Polka. The crisis comes when Moosha's hooves get stuck in the floor (the very spot where the Christmas tree should stand), and the others--cows, horses, goats, pigs, and even a tractor--work to pull Moosha out. Their failure leads to a new Christmas tradition--decorating the cow. Giddy, goofy fun.
Connie Fletcher
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Kirkus:
Three amiable bovine sisters always hoof it back to the ranch each
year for the holidays, only this year they have a little problem.
One sister, Moosha from New York, was having such a good time dancing the
Cowpoke Polka that she crashed through the floor with both back legs,
right up to the hem of her bright pink dress. Moosha is stuck in the
corner where the Christmas tree was to be set up, and the relatives
couldn't free her, even with Pa's tractor. But these cows, like all
farm folk, are an inventive bunch, so they decide to decorate Moosha as
the Christmas tree, starting a new family tradition. The rollicking,
rhyming text is full of fun and drama, but it's Chapman's illustrations
that make the cows come to life with humorous expressions and
outfits. Her cows all have their own personalities, right down to
little cousin Dale, who hangs a golden star on Moosha's tail and solves
the family's dilemma. Publisher's Weekly:
There's no place like home for the holidays, in Chaconas's (Christmas Mouseling , reviewed above) humorous tale, especially when home is a tiny abode crammed to the rafters with favorite relatives. Such is the merry mayhem for a boisterous bovine clan who gathers to sing, do the Cowpoke Polka and decorate. But when happy hoofer Moosha's hooves crash through the floor, she's rooted in the spot meant for the Christmas tree. Kids can guess what happens next - as Aunt Moosha launches a new family tradition. Bold pastels of dapper, dancing cows add celebratory zing. Ages 5-8.
Copyright © 1997-2005 Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. SmartWriters.com
Anyone who wants to learn how to write rhyming picture books the right way needs to study Dori Chaconas's collected works, and this newest addition is no exception. Man, it's funny, the rhyme impeccable, and the illustrations perfectly suited to this kid-friendly tale of a Christmas family reunion nearly ruined when one of the gathered family crashes through the floor where the tree is supposed to go, threatening the whole coming of Christmas! Holy cow! (Sorry, couldn't help it. <g>) But not to worry, poor auntie Moosha, stuck in the place of the tree, will just have to do, starting a whole new family tradition.
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