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Henry and the Cow Problem
A boy's imaginative fantasies about cows run wild at bedtime, but Mom helps put things in perspective.
Henry looks out the window to check for cows because he is afraid that one night a cow might come right in through his bedroom window. Mom reassures him: they live on the third floor of an apartment building; a cow could not get in very easily. But Henry disagrees--he's sure cows love crashing through windows, and he can think of many ways a cow could get in: dressing up as a pizza deliver person, walking a tightrope from the building near by, or sneaking up the wall! With a little bit of logic, Mom finds a way to cure Henry of his cow problem.
About the Annikin Annikins are mini books made especially for children -- small enough to fit into tiny hands and pockets. Each book measures 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" and contains full color pages. Individual titles available in quantities of 20s only.
Henry looks out the window to check for cows because he is afraid that one night a cow might come right in through his bedroom window. Mom reassures him: they live on the third floor of an apartment building; a cow could not get in very easily. But Henry disagrees--he's sure cows love crashing through windows, and he can think of many ways a cow could get in: dressing up as a pizza deliver person, walking a tightrope from the building near by, or sneaking up the wall! With a little bit of logic, Mom finds a way to cure Henry of his cow problem.
About the Annikin Annikins are mini books made especially for children -- small enough to fit into tiny hands and pockets. Each book measures 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" and contains full color pages. Individual titles available in quantities of 20s only.
- GenresChildrens
24 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
1 person is currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Iona Whishaw
15 books414 followersIona Whishaw has been a youth worker, social worker, teacher and an award winning High School Principal, who continued with her writing throughout her working life. Receiving her Masters in Creative writing from UBC, Iona has published short fiction, poetry, poetry translation and one children's book, Henry and the Cow Problem. The Lane Winslow mystery series is her first foray into adult fiction.
Iona was born in Kimberley BC, but grew up in a number of different places, including a small community on Kootenay Lake, as well as Mexico and Central America, and the US because of her father's geological work. She took a degree in history and education from Antioch College, and subsequent degrees in Writing at UBC and pedagogy at Simon Fraser University. Her own writing output took a brief back seat during her teaching career, but she shared her passion for writing by nurturing a love of writing in the students in English, Creative Writing, and Spanish classes. During the course of her career as a Principal in Vancouver she was awarded the Woman of Distinction in Education by the YWCA in 2010 and a Canada's Outstanding Principals award in 2012.
Her hobbies have included dance, painting, reading, and gardening. She currently is a vocalist for a small Balkan dance band in Vancouver, and is patiently waiting for her next opportunity to engage in her current pash, long distance, cross country rambling in England.
She is married, has one son and two grandsons, and lives in Vancouver with her artist husband, Terry Miller.
Iona was born in Kimberley BC, but grew up in a number of different places, including a small community on Kootenay Lake, as well as Mexico and Central America, and the US because of her father's geological work. She took a degree in history and education from Antioch College, and subsequent degrees in Writing at UBC and pedagogy at Simon Fraser University. Her own writing output took a brief back seat during her teaching career, but she shared her passion for writing by nurturing a love of writing in the students in English, Creative Writing, and Spanish classes. During the course of her career as a Principal in Vancouver she was awarded the Woman of Distinction in Education by the YWCA in 2010 and a Canada's Outstanding Principals award in 2012.
Her hobbies have included dance, painting, reading, and gardening. She currently is a vocalist for a small Balkan dance band in Vancouver, and is patiently waiting for her next opportunity to engage in her current pash, long distance, cross country rambling in England.
She is married, has one son and two grandsons, and lives in Vancouver with her artist husband, Terry Miller.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 30, 2009
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! I love it! I mean, first, it has cows!! And second, it's all about a boy telling his mom the many ways a COW might come to his apartment bedroom and get him. I know I try not to laugh at others' fears, but you're supposed to with this one! The illustrations were not bad, but I don't think they did the humor of it all justice. Still, great colors and helped tell the story. Not really a point to this book. So if you read it not expecting that, and know of any children who have ever had bedtime fears (mine would be E.T. coming in my window), then there's a high chance you'll love it!
July 6, 2023
I cannot describe my turmoil in any way other than the fact that this book has haunted me for years. I read it as a child and was instantly traumatized. Never before that day had I payed much attention to cows but now they lurked around every corner. Every person I saw could be a cow. Every telephone wire could hold a cow. Every closed window was calling to the cows and their love of broken glass.
I had to keep my windows open at night so as not to invite the cows in. This was a genuine fear of mine for months. I was 100% convinced a cow was going to break into my bedroom and do I don’t even know what. I wasn’t even scared of the cows themselves but of the potential for what they could do.
Anyways, I lost the book years ago but recently found the title again and did some research on the author. First of all I think it’s funny that this is her only children’s book while the rest of her work consists of CRIME NOVELS???? Anyways that is not the worst of it because I found out that the writer LIVES IN MY CITY. I COULD HAVE PASSED HER ON THE STREET. I have made it my life’s goal to track her down and figure out what compelled her to write this godforsaken book. 5 stars.
I had to keep my windows open at night so as not to invite the cows in. This was a genuine fear of mine for months. I was 100% convinced a cow was going to break into my bedroom and do I don’t even know what. I wasn’t even scared of the cows themselves but of the potential for what they could do.
Anyways, I lost the book years ago but recently found the title again and did some research on the author. First of all I think it’s funny that this is her only children’s book while the rest of her work consists of CRIME NOVELS???? Anyways that is not the worst of it because I found out that the writer LIVES IN MY CITY. I COULD HAVE PASSED HER ON THE STREET. I have made it my life’s goal to track her down and figure out what compelled her to write this godforsaken book. 5 stars.
November 3, 2018
I probably would have rated this higher, but one of my coworkers handed me and told me it was adorable/great/funny/etc. So I kept waiting for there to be some sort of twist - the kid is saying COW (which is always highlighted) and maybe he means CROW, or that there really IS a cow trying to get in, or it turns out his MOM IS A COW, or something goofy like that.
But it's just the story of a small kid thinking way too hard about all the ways something he's scared of could come to pass, and mom helping him thwart it.
Cute, but didn't live up to the build-up I got.
But it's just the story of a small kid thinking way too hard about all the ways something he's scared of could come to pass, and mom helping him thwart it.
Cute, but didn't live up to the build-up I got.
January 19, 2021
if the purpose of this book was to cause nightmares and emotionally scar children, i give it 5 stars. this story was first read to me as i was a child. it chilled me to my bones, i locked all the windows and doors that night. i am still unable to look at a cow the same, steven king must have written under the alias Lona Whishaw because this is a story of nightmares. i still have sleep paralysis of cows breaking into my windows.
October 11, 2017
I loved this book to start, but the fact that it comes in an Annikin makes it even greater. Annikins are like secret surprises you can carry in your back pocket and pull out, to see children's faces light up in joy.
August 22, 2011
A funny take on the preschool thought-process (and a smart mother's response).
December 31, 2016
One of my all-time favourites
October 11, 2017
Both the full-sized and the Annikin versions are great for sharing with children 4 and up. I have shared it with groups in daycare settings, that found the book wonderfully funny. It was also a great starting point for sharing ideas in group settings about 'how else would cows maybe get in' and talking about things that we are scared of.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews