Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
HarperCollins Publishers (2005), Hardcover, 32 pages
Description
At six o'clock every day, without fail, with no excuses, Sam Vimes must go home to read Where's My Cow?, with all the right farmyard noises, to his little boy. There are some things you have to do.It is the most loved and chewed book in the world. But his father wonders why it is full of moo-cows and baa-lambs when Young Sam will only ever see them cooked on a plate. He can think of a more useful book for a boy who lives in a city. So Sam Vimes starts adapting the story. A story with streets, not fields. A book with rogues and villains. A book about the place where he'll grow up.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Mardel
I love this cover. The almost lifelike rendition of the cow and the painting like quality of the background...then that little cartoon image in the two corners...brilliant. And the stamp - approved by the librarian of Unseen University. If you've read the discworld books, you'll get it, but you
OOK!
I approve this book also. LOL, doesn't that sound vain? I do though. I've wanted this book for a long time, since it ties in so nicely with the other discworld novels...it's great because it's really three books in one. You'll have to read it to understand what I'm saying...
Commander Vimes, a frequent character of the discworld novels is one of the characters in this book. He's reading a book to his son....and the book he's reading...you get to read that while reading about Vimes reading to his son...see? There's another aspect to this, but at the moment I can't really explain it.
So Commander Vimes is reading this book and he is making all these animal sounds, because it's a book called Where's My Cow? So the book within this book has all these animals and animal sounds and someone is obviously looking for his cow....Vimes is reading this, and making the noises for his son - which his son loves - when he suddenly decides the book is a bit lame, in fact that it has nothing to do with real life. After all they live in a huge city, where all the animals are...cooked.
So he begins changing the book while reading, to something HE can relate to. Criminals. He starts naming the usual suspects that he has to deal with on a daily basis...and they all have some quirk, great names, and the pics - oh man, the pics are great. These aren't your normal tame children's book pics - so beware of this if you plan to read it to your kids or grandkids. They will have to have a good sense of the absurd and humor.
I Loved This Book.
I read it to both of my grandkids, and they know it's Granma's SPECIAL BOOK that they have to have ME bring down for them, so we can read it together. And like Vimes, I love making the animal sounds, and I even try to make the rather gross usual Suspects's sounds. like Hrrumph, etc. The kids laugh and laugh. I laugh and laugh. A good time is had by all. Grandma loves these type of childrens books.
Twisted, snarky, edgy slightly off children's books.
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haven't...see there's this series of books. In some of the books there's this University, the Unseen University. It's quite magical, because it houses not only all the wizards and sorcerers in Ankh-Morpork (or almost all of them) keeping them from harming the innocent - and giving them a place to practice their arts, but it also holds all the magical books. Some of the books have to be chained down, or they'll escape. In charge of the library at Unseen University is an orangutang. He's very capable - he actually used to be a human, but he's pretty happy as an orangutang, in charge of the library. Those prehensile feet and hands, with the thumbs and all, turned out to be very handy - after all....So - he approves this book. OOK!
I approve this book also. LOL, doesn't that sound vain? I do though. I've wanted this book for a long time, since it ties in so nicely with the other discworld novels...it's great because it's really three books in one. You'll have to read it to understand what I'm saying...
Commander Vimes, a frequent character of the discworld novels is one of the characters in this book. He's reading a book to his son....and the book he's reading...you get to read that while reading about Vimes reading to his son...see? There's another aspect to this, but at the moment I can't really explain it.
So Commander Vimes is reading this book and he is making all these animal sounds, because it's a book called Where's My Cow? So the book within this book has all these animals and animal sounds and someone is obviously looking for his cow....Vimes is reading this, and making the noises for his son - which his son loves - when he suddenly decides the book is a bit lame, in fact that it has nothing to do with real life. After all they live in a huge city, where all the animals are...cooked.
So he begins changing the book while reading, to something HE can relate to. Criminals. He starts naming the usual suspects that he has to deal with on a daily basis...and they all have some quirk, great names, and the pics - oh man, the pics are great. These aren't your normal tame children's book pics - so beware of this if you plan to read it to your kids or grandkids. They will have to have a good sense of the absurd and humor.
I Loved This Book.
I read it to both of my grandkids, and they know it's Granma's SPECIAL BOOK that they have to have ME bring down for them, so we can read it together. And like Vimes, I love making the animal sounds, and I even try to make the rather gross usual Suspects's sounds. like Hrrumph, etc. The kids laugh and laugh. I laugh and laugh. A good time is had by all. Grandma loves these type of childrens books.
Twisted, snarky, edgy slightly off children's books.
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LibraryThing member katylit
Such a cute little book, and this from someone who hasn't read any Pratchett yet. I love the illustrations and the story is delightful, full of fun, energy and love.
LibraryThing member extremophile_sheep
In response to some questions from a child worried about the missing cow, Terry supplied the following answers.
Is the cow lost?
'Not any more. She was found wandering and brought in to the Watch House by Corporal Nobbs.'
Is the cow OK?
'Oh, yes. Some watchmen have fed her chips from the canteen,
Is anyone looking after the cow if it is lost? (particularly worried about this one)
'Corporal Nobbs is very attached to the cow, and so are the other watchmen. They've clubbed together to buy her hay.'
Where is the cow now?
'In the Watch stables, where she is spoiled rotten by the coppers. She gets milked twice a day and the coppers hope no-one ever claims her because the milk is so nice.'
And if at all possible, what is the cow's name? (for it looks pretty on the picture)
'Mostly they call her Cow, because coppers aren't particularly good when it comes to names, but Corporal Nobbs calls her Maisie, after his old mum.'
[source : The L Space Web]
Is the cow lost?
'Not any more. She was found wandering and brought in to the Watch House by Corporal Nobbs.'
Is the cow OK?
'Oh, yes. Some watchmen have fed her chips from the canteen,
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but she seems fine.' Is anyone looking after the cow if it is lost? (particularly worried about this one)
'Corporal Nobbs is very attached to the cow, and so are the other watchmen. They've clubbed together to buy her hay.'
Where is the cow now?
'In the Watch stables, where she is spoiled rotten by the coppers. She gets milked twice a day and the coppers hope no-one ever claims her because the milk is so nice.'
And if at all possible, what is the cow's name? (for it looks pretty on the picture)
'Mostly they call her Cow, because coppers aren't particularly good when it comes to names, but Corporal Nobbs calls her Maisie, after his old mum.'
[source : The L Space Web]
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LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
This is to accompany Thud! and in it's own right is a wonderfully funny, almost children's tale as told by Vimes to his child. It starts off as a story about someone who had lost his cow, half way through vimes thinks "why is young Sam's nursery full of farmyard animals anyway? Why are his books
"I can think of a more useful book. A book with streets in it, not fields. A book about the place where he'll grow up."
And then several staple characters show up.
I laughed until I nearly cried.
The illustrations are wonderful and quite apt.
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full of moo-cows and baa-lambs? He's growing up in a city. He will only seem them on a plate! They go sizzle!"I can think of a more useful book. A book with streets in it, not fields. A book about the place where he'll grow up."
And then several staple characters show up.
I laughed until I nearly cried.
The illustrations are wonderful and quite apt.
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LibraryThing member bookcoll
ANY book by Terry Pratchett is a hoot and a holler.
LibraryThing member gercmbyrne
one of the best spin off products from discwold series, it's a lovely sweet read
LibraryThing member MrsLee
I love this book. It has a wonderful story of a father reading to his children at night and the fun they have. Also, for Discworld lovers, there are many well-known characters in a hilarious setting. The illustrations are beautiful.
LibraryThing member riverwillow
Sublime and a great children's book to boot.
LibraryThing member 391
"Where's My Cow?" spins out of "Thud!", Pratchett's latest City Watch novel. I'm a fan of Vimes, so I had to get it, and I'm glad I did - it is beautifully illustrated and absolutely adorable.
LibraryThing member angharad_reads
Charming riff on the standard children's book style. I like how Lady Sybil is drawn.
LibraryThing member wendyrey
A parody of a child's picture book. Very funny
LibraryThing member madamepince
The illustrations are great, the story is wacky! Not for reading aloud to the very young.
LibraryThing member Darla
Yeah, but it's PRATCHETT. :) Vimes reading Where's My Cow to his son, & bringing in a lot of the Discworld characters. Almost made me wish my kids were little so I could read it to them over & over again.
LibraryThing member johnmischief
My three year old son loves me reading this book,and i love reading it to him.
Lovely illustrations and a nice tie-in to the city watch novels make this a nice companion book to the main series.
If i was to review this book based on my son's reactions and my pleasure to those reactions it would score
Lovely illustrations and a nice tie-in to the city watch novels make this a nice companion book to the main series.
If i was to review this book based on my son's reactions and my pleasure to those reactions it would score
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a 5. However,it is a simplistic story and i believe its not anywhere near as good as Pratchett's other books. Show Less
LibraryThing member ritaer
kids undertand intertextuality better than some adults
LibraryThing member simchaboston
Short and very silly (in a good way), though I wouldn't necessarily have bought it if I hadn't had an Amazon gift card.
LibraryThing member DWMSLibrarian
This is a clever story about Commander Sam Vimes of the City Watch, a dad who comes home every night at 6:00 to read the book, “Where’s My Cow,” to his son. However, as both he and his son are city-dwellers, and feeling that his son doesn’t need to know about cows or chickens, he one day
This book, rightly touted as a “Discworld picture books for people of all sizes” is written on two levels at once. The children will enjoy the repetition and funny-scary pictures and adults will delight in the mischievous father.
Amazon reviewer E.M. Van Court stated, “Any parent has suffered through the sixtieth reading of a book written on a two year old level, and many of us have succumb to the desire to make those dreadful children's books a little more interesting. Many of us have also been intensely browbeaten by our wives for this. (Informal research indicates that the desire to take liberties with kids' books is a dad thing, hence the gender specific language).”
This is the first Pratchett book I have read, and it leaves me wondering about the world he has created. It’s cute, but as I am not familiar with Discworld , much of it is unfamiliar and I am left wondering what I am missing. For all ages.
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changes the story to “Who’s My Daddy.” Instead of pointing out chickens and sheep, he describes lowlife after lowlife until his Lady Wife comes in to see what all the ruckus is about. Chagrined, he quickly finishes his story with himself arresting a baddie in the name of the law. This book, rightly touted as a “Discworld picture books for people of all sizes” is written on two levels at once. The children will enjoy the repetition and funny-scary pictures and adults will delight in the mischievous father.
Amazon reviewer E.M. Van Court stated, “Any parent has suffered through the sixtieth reading of a book written on a two year old level, and many of us have succumb to the desire to make those dreadful children's books a little more interesting. Many of us have also been intensely browbeaten by our wives for this. (Informal research indicates that the desire to take liberties with kids' books is a dad thing, hence the gender specific language).”
This is the first Pratchett book I have read, and it leaves me wondering about the world he has created. It’s cute, but as I am not familiar with Discworld , much of it is unfamiliar and I am left wondering what I am missing. For all ages.
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LibraryThing member librisissimo
Actually a "companion" book to one of the Discworld sagas starring Vimes.
LibraryThing member Cheryl_in_CC_NV
I think I'm regretting giving this away. I have no idea if it has appeal for folks who aren't fans of Discworld, or even for children, but I spent serious time with it and yet want to again. So many jokes in all the pictures, but lots of heart, too.
LibraryThing member ouroborosangel
If you are a follower of Terry Pratchett, then you'll enjoy this children's story that is supposedly told to Commander Vimes son. I probably enjoyed it more than my daughter since I know the discworld characters from the "grown-up" books.
LibraryThing member wealhtheowwylfing
YOU ARE NOT MY COW!
Subjects
Awards
Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration (Nominee — 2006)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2005-09-23
Physical description
32 p.; 9.49 inches
ISBN
0060872675 / 9780060872670