Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: School Days »

ERICA SILVERMAN has written many books for children, including Sholom's Treasure: How Sholom Aleichem Became a Writer, illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein, and When the Chickens Went on Strike, illustrated by Matthew Trueman. She lives in Los Angeles, California.

BETSY LEWIN is the well-known illustrator of Duck for President; Giggle, Giggle, Quack; and the Caldecott Honor-winning Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, all written by Doreen Cronin. She lives in New York City.

In book three of this award-winning series, Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa saddle up for school.

Mary Jean SmithCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information. - School Library Journal

K-Gr 2
In this third collection of stories about the cowgirl and her horse, school begins. When Kate leaves on the bus, Cocoa follows it like Mary's little lamb, much to the other children's enjoyment and Kate's embarrassment. The animal is lonely and heartsick when she brings a child home but soon realizes they both have made a new friend. When Kate's attention turns to homework, Cocoa helps by posing for a picture in one story and, in another, demonstrating facts about horses for her report. Lewin's breezy, cartoon style features strong black lines and watercolor against mostly white backgrounds. Each story opens on a spread, and both characters have wonderfully expressive faces. Cocoa seems like a real horse because his movements are just right-whether galloping back home ("ta-dum ta-dum ta-dum"), rolling on his back, or shaking his long, caramel-colored mane. As the friendship between these two shines through in each story, emerging readers will make a place in their own hearts for this pair.