Title: The Little Blue Cow

Author: Thecla Ojeifo

Publisher: HTT Communications

Number of pages: 45

Type of Book: Fiction, Faith-based

Age: 0 – 8

Buy it here: Laterna Book Store, 13 Oke Awo Str, Victoria Island, Lagos or Glendora Bookshop, Ikeja City Mall, Lagos

Price: N600

MY SUMMARY

Michael’s mum is an expert story teller; she makes funny faces, uses different voices for the characters and sometimes acts out the stories! Story time with Michael’s mum is fun time for Michael, his baby sister and his friends. But she’s a story teller with a difference, her stories are centered around the Bible. Even better, she has a weekly Bible club for kids. Every Saturday, she picks a verse or two from the Bible, reads it to the kids and then tells a story about the verse.

The little blue cow, the story within this story is about a cow who was different from all the other animals on the farm and the big strong kind horse that helped him. Michael’s mum tried to share the message in Matthew11:28-30. Read the book to find out what became of the little blue cow and what Michael and his friends learnt from this story.

THUMBS UP AND DOWN

UP: It is a faith-based book for kids! What’s not to love? It is quite easy to read and features a glossary for the more complex words. The story within the story can be read to toddlers while beginning/independent readers can read the whole book without or with minor supervision. I recommend for little boys and girls ages 5 – 8.

DOWN: There were a few typos and the story dragged a bit in the beginning. There was also a lot of telling and not showing but I’ve come to realize that this is a pervading problem in Nigerian children’s fiction. 

RATING

4 Stars

TRIVIA

1. Matthew 11:28-30 reads “²⁸Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

 CHALLENGE: The Little Blue Cow

CREATE (WRITE a Story/Poem OR DRAW)

1. Read the information above, then answer the following questions (6-8 year olds)

1. What happened every Saturday?
2. Is there a story within a story in this book?
3. Michael’s mum loved doing this?

OR

2. Draw and colour a blue cow (4-5 year olds)

Send your answers to ugochinyelu.anidi@gmail.com

Entry requirements: Entrants must be within the 4 – 8 age range. The first correct entry will be announced on this page and will win a copy of this book.

Answers must be submitted before 12:00am on Tuesday, June 28^th 2015.