The Cow Said Neigh‪!‬

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY NOV 12, 2018

Feek has written two bestselling adult memoirs about life on his Tennessee farm, and he's half of country music duo Joey+Rory, which he formed with his late wife. It's no surprise, then, that in his first book for children, the setting is a barnyard. From a barn window, a cow looks out longingly at a horse cantering in a nearby field: "If I were a horse, I could run free all day," the cow muses. Then it tries out its horse persona, letting out "a big... NEIGH!" Each spread follows a similar pattern: an animal thinks another has a better deal and, as a first step toward enjoying that creature's appealing life, lets out its signature call, from quacks to oinks. The story could have wrapped up with reminders to find gratitude for one's own gifts and avoid the perils of a grass-is-greener outlook, but Feek keeps both the mood and message light with a conclusion that celebrates silliness. Together with Robert's expressive, cartoon-bright illustrations, the playful text, filled with sound effects and refrains, will likely encourage rowdy, participatory read-alouds. Ages 3 6.