I’ll Love You till the Cows Come Home

Cristaldi (Baseball Ballerina) takes a familiar expression and develops it into a melodic bedtime story. The cows of the title begin in an idyllic pasture but soon blast into outer space: “I will love you till the cows come home/ from a trip to Mars through skies unknown.” Silly circumstances ensue—sailing sheep, wolves in hot air balloons, and frogs on big-wheeled bikes escalate the idea throughout (“In a circus for sea horses,/ shrimp,/ and bass./ I will love you till the frogs ride past”). Litten illustrates the animals’ exuberant adventures in a sweet, non-naturalistic style, with muted colors and sharp backgrounds that grow cozy as the cows and all of the other adventuring animals make their way home and to bed: “I’ll love you till then, and again and again,/ till my love makes a bed for the cows in their pen.”Ages 4–8.[em] (Dec.) [/em]