There's a Cow Under My Bed!

Linda Ludke is a children’s librarian at the London Public Library.

Oscar Ollie Brown is plagued by unseen annoyances. After his mother combs out some cowlicks, he is convinced a cow sneaks into his bedroom at night and licks his head. When he is trying to sit quietly and be on his best behaviour, the urge to squirm around will hit, leading his mother to “whisper with her sternest glance / You must have ants inside your pants.” Adding to his problems is a pesky frog stuck in his throat that turns his words into a creaky squeak.

David Jardine’s stylized cartoons show the bewildered boy peering into his closet looking for the elusive cow, peeking down his pants for crawling ants, and staring into a mirror with his mouth open wide. The dark brown and grey background colours contribute to a slightly menacing mood.

Children will enjoy looking at language and phrases in this playful manner. The rollicking rhyming couplets also lend themselves well to reading aloud. Recommended.