Cindy Moo

A determined cow thinks outside the box to prove that she can jump over the moon in this bouncy barnyard rhyme. When Cindy Moo overhears the beloved nursery rhyme “Hey Diddle Diddle” and its line about a certain cow’s antics, she is not about to be outdone. “If that cow could jump the moon,/ by golly, I can too,” Cindy—who, despite being a cow, is a ham through and through—tells her skeptical fellow bovines. Two attempts prove discouraging, but the moon’s nighttime reflection in a rain puddle gives Cindy a new, successful strategy. Underneath its silliness, Mortensen’s (Come See the Earth Turn) energetic verse offers readers a can-do message about finding different ways of looking at a challenge. Mack’s (Mr. Duck Means Business) fuzzy cows have comically bulging eyes to observe all the action, and Cindy’s creamy brown-and-white spots, pink bow, and expressive poses set her apart as the star of the show. The nocturnal scenes are fittingly lit with a crisp, shimmery moon glow. Ages 3–7. Agent: Kendra Marcus, BookStop Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Rubin Pfeffer, East West Literary Agency. (May)