I recently had the absolutely delightful experience of reading a children’s picture book to a kindergartner. Already familiar with the book, she plucked it enthusiastically from the library display and chortled the title: ‘Cow-LLLLLLLLLLLLick!” Obviously, whoever read it to her before was an effective and consummate storyteller. With such a recommendation, how could I resist reading it?

Cowlick! by Christin Ditchfield and illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw is an enchanting “fairy tale” explaining how those unique hair sculptures appear on our heads, especially overnight. Bed-head, at least for the characters in this anecdote, is attributed to the stealth visit from a friendly --- cow! Can you guess what the cow does to their hair?

How absolutely clever Ditchfield is to create a legend of the cowlick by using the word parts literally.  Lest you think the concept is too obscure or possibly scary for a preschooler, fear not.  The story is told in simple and short happy rhyming phrases.  The rhymes are great for preschoolers and emerging readers who crave predictability.  Furthermore, the illustrations are gentle with everyone always smiling.

This book is a keeper.  After you read it a gazillion times to your kids, I predict you will hang onto it for the future grandchildren.  My final recommendation is that as you read aloud, I urge you to give full, dramatic effect to the word “cowlick!” with lengthy and slurpy “L” articulation while curving your head in a big arc as if executing the lick yourself.

Copyright 2009 Maren E. Morgan-Thomson