Audrey is a cow with poetry in her blood, who yearns for the greener pastures beyond Bittersweet Farms. But when Roy the horse tells this bovine dreamer that she is headed for Abbot's War, the slaughter house, Audrey knows that she must leave her home and friends sooner than she ever imagined. With the help of a whole crew of animals and humans alike, Audrey attempts to escape the farm she lives on--and certain death. Cleverly written as an oral account, this unique illustrated tale of an animal on the run, told "to camera", uses over thirty narrative voices, including six humans, four cows, three sheep, two sheep dogs, one pig and a very silly rooster. Full of heart and humor, Audrey (cow) is ultimately a very human story about life and death, friendship, and holding on to one's dreams--based more or less on a true story. Gr 3–5—A courageous cow poet, a canine companion, an eavesdropping horse, an intelligent pig, and many more amazing animals call Bittersweet Farm their home. After a mother Charolais cow is taken away to "Abbot's War," her calf, Audrey, begins to ask questions of her fellow animal pals. Eventually, she discovers that "Abbot's War" is no cow paradise; it's a slaughterhouse. The poetic cow quickly puts her energy into finding a way to avoid the same fate. She attempts, but fails, to starve herself, learns how to jump a fence, and more. Ultimately, she is able to use the help, knowledge, and experience of her farm friends to achieve her goal. This is no simple farm story; it is a powerful tale that takes a philosophical stance against today's meat industry. Written in transcripts of interviews from the perspective of various animal and human characters, the book emphasizes the emotional reactions of those surrounding Audrey. These monologues give readers the opportunity to discern different perspectives about the same events. Readers must make conclusions and predictions about the events, weighing the relative reliability of the various narrators. A unique approach to a sensitive topic.—Mary-Brook J. Townsend, The McGillis School, Salt Lake City, UT Selected, Kirkus Review 's list of Best Children Books, 2014 Selected, New York Public Library’s list of 100 Children’s Books for Reading and Sharing, 2014 Selected, Today's Parent 's list of Top 10 Middle Grade Books, 2014 Starred in CCBC’S Best Books for Kids & Teens (2015) PRAISE FOR Audrey (Cow) : "Move aside Wilbur and Babe. There's a new farmyard hero in town, and she has no desire to end up hamburger [...] Part Great Escape , part Hatchet , part Charlotte's Web , all wonderful." -- Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews "Thoroughly charming." -- Starred Review, Publishers Weekly "[P]urely delightful [...] At its heart, Audrey (Cow) encourages kids to think even as it entertains - the mark of wonderful children's literature." -- Starred Review, Quill & Quire "This is no simple farm story; it is a powerful tale that takes a philosophical stance against today's meat industry [...] A unique approach to a sensitive topic." -- Starred Review, School Library Journal “With so many unique characters and voices, the read-aloud possibilities, whether at home or in the classroom, are nearly endless. At times poignant and at others laugh out-loud funny, this insightful, touching story is a wonderful addition to any bookshelf.” --Canadian Children’s Book News Dan Bar-el is an award-winning children's author, educator and storyteller. His writing includes chapter books, picture books, and most recently, a graphic novel. For the past twenty years, Dan has been working with children ages 3 to 13. He's been a school age childcare provider, a preschool teacher, a creative drama teacher and creative writing teacher. These days, when not writing, travelling around the country presenting his book, storytelling or leading various workshops at schools and libraries, he teaches creative writing courses to children with the organization CWC. Dan lives in Vancouver, BC and shares his life with artist and goldsmith, Dominique Bréchault, and Sasha, the most adorable cat in the known universe. Tatjana Mai-Wyss was born in Switzerland. She has always loved books, so bringing stories to life with her art is the best job she can imagine. She has illustrated a number of books for children. Surprisingly, many of them feature cows! A vegetarian herself, Tatjana can relate to Audrey's desire not to be eaten. Tatjana currently lives in South Carolina with her family and a small menagerie of pets. See more of Tatjana's art at http://tatjanamaiwyss.com
