The Cow Said Neigh!: A Farm Story

by Rory Feek, Bruno Robert (Illustrator)

From New York Times bestseller Rory Feek, one half of the singing duo Joey+Rory, comes The Cow Said Neigh!, a fun and humorous tale of farm animals who wish they were like the other animals . . . which leads to a farm-full of confusion! This delightful book will be a family favorite for years to come.

The Cow Said Neigh! is the story of some peculiar farm animals who wish they were like other animals on the farm. The cow wants to run free like a horse, the sheep wants a snout like a pig, the dog wants to be inside like the cat. Soon the entire farm is in chaos!

With silly farm animal sounds, clever rhymes, and adorable art, The Cow Said Neigh! will have kids of all ages laughing out loud as they celebrate the unique strengths in each of us.

This delightful board book is sure to be read time and time again.

Genres: Picture Books, Storytime, Animals, Humor, Childrens, Fiction, Juvenile

26 pages, Board Book

Published October 2, 2018

About the author

Rory Feek is a country music singer, songwriter, filmmaker and a former United States Marine. In his career, he has written singles for Kenny Chesney, Randy Travis, Clay Walker, Tracy Byrd and other artists. In 2004, Feek achieved his first Number One as a songwriter when Blake Shelton topped the country charts with "Some Beach". Feek wrote and produced a film, Josephine, which was set in the American Civil. The film later debuted at the Nashville Film Festival.

In 2002, he married Joey Martin, with whom he started the country, bluegrass and gospel duo Joey + Rory. They have one daughter, Indiana Boon (born February 17, 2014), who was born with Down Syndrome. Feek also has two adult daughters, Heidi and Hopie from a previous marriage. Joey died of metastatic cervical cancer on March 4, 2016.

Rory shares his life with the world through his thislifeilive.com blog that has over 2 million followers. His blog follows the amazing love story of him and his wife, her recent battle and loss to cancer, and inspirational stories of faith and hope.

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cow Said Neigh! (picture book): A Farm Story is a fun little picture book that will be a real hit with kids who love silly rhyming stories. We start out with a cow who thinks the horse lives in greener pastures, so decides to try on the horse's voice.



Then the horse sees a duck, and the duck sees a sheep, and so it continues as we check in on the various animals you'd expect to find on a farm. The playful rhymes follow a good pattern and I know a few kids who would love yelling out the animal noises at the right times.

The illustrations are amusing and this would be a fun little read for preschoolers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson: CHILDREN'S for providing me with a DRC of this book.

[Kyra Leseberg (Roots & Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cow wishes she could run free like the horse and when the other animals hear the cow neigh, it sets in motion a chain reaction that creates total confusion on the farm! Silly sounds and rhymes make this a perfect read aloud book and is sure to make young readers giggle and play along. The bright illustrations will capture the attention of emerging readers and bring the story to life.
Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Melodie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely lovely story of farm animals who decide someone else's life looks a little better! It all starts with the cow and finally ends at the farmer's knee with surprising results. The illustrations were colorful and the rhyming storyline fun.This picture book will appeal to the toddler set as well as whoever reads to them.
Thank you to Net Galley , the author and publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE COW SAID NEIGH! is such a cute picture book for children. It’s a strange day on the farm when a cow goes “neigh” and the horse says ”quack” and the duck goes “baa.” What? Kids will love the colorful stylized illustrations — I did! — and have a blast substituting the real sounds for the right animal. Written by Rory Feek, C & W singer and husband of the late Joey Feek, whose tragic death too young from cancer broke hearts across the world. Rory dedicates this sweet book to Indiana, his darling toddler with Down’s Syndrome. I wish him wild success with his book writing ventures. 5/5

Pub Date 02 Oct 2018   

Thanks to Thomas Nelson: CHILDREN'S and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

#TheCowSaidNeigh!(pictureBook) #NetGalley

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars. This picture book is a fun story that will be a real hit with kids who love silly rhyming stories. We start out with a cow who thinks the horse lives in greener pastures, so decides to try on the horse's voice and goes neigh. Then the horse sees a duck, and the duck sees a sheep, and so it continues as we check in on the various animals you'd expect to find on a farm. Of course while reading this with a two year old, she kept making the animal sounds and laughing as each animal made the wrong noise. The playful rhymes follow a good pattern and the illustrations were adorable. I really liked the cartoon like animals and the expressions on their faces. This is a cute story that would be a great one for young children, especially those learning about farms and farm animals. The publisher, Thomas Nelson, generously provided me with a copy of this book upon my request. The rating, ideas and opinions are my own.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cow said Neigh! is a great children's book filled with beautiful illustrations. The book is filled with animals who decide they want to try "speaking" like the other animals on the farm. So the cow says "neigh" and the dog says "meow". The story is filled with rhymes and animals and is sure to entertain children with its silly story. The illustrations are colorful and beautiful, filled with lots of different animals from cows to cats. I look forward to reading more from this author and seeing more amazing drawings from the illustrator in the future.

Thank you to the publisher, Thomas Nelson, for sending me a review copy of this book.

[Etienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple enough story about animal making the sound of others. Nothing much to it, but I think some kids might find it funny so an average one!

[Joyce Stewart Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cow Said Neigh! (picture book)
A Farm Story
by Rory Feek
Reading level : 4-8 years
Publication date: October 2, 2018
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Omg this was such a cute funny story. The Cow Said Neigh is the story of some peculiar farm animals who wish they were like other animals on the farm. The cow wants to run free like a horse, the sheep wants a snout like a pig, the dog wants to be inside like the cat. Soon the entire farm is in chaos! From a barn window, a cow looks out longingly at a horse cantering in a nearby field: 'If I were a horse, I could run free all day,' the cow muses. Then it tries out its horse persona, letting out 'a big . . . NEIGH!' Each spread follows a similar pattern: an animal thinks another has a better deal and, as a first step toward enjoying that creature's appealing life, lets out its signature call, from quacks to oinks. I read this book to my two granddaughter's who are One & Two . I also read it to my 4 year old daughter. All 3 of them were laughing and making animal sounds. As soon as I finished it they were saying read it again over and over. The illustrations are bright and beautiful. The girls found it hilarious that the animals all say the wrong sounds. With each animal they would make the sound the animal would say then say what sound the animal should make. It was short enough yet long enough to hold their attention. It's 32 pages with a line or two on each page. The author writes in a sing song rhyme type way that is easy to read out loud.
I promise you will not be able to read it without laughing. I highly recommend getting this book. Many thanks to the Publisher , the Author , and NetGalley for a ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.
#TheCowSaidNeigh!(pictureBook) #NetGalley

[Juliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an e-copy from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
It's a very cute story about a group of farm animals who are very confused. They are imitate another animal and confuse the farmer. The illustrations are the best part of this story. There's not much substance to the book and no real lesson to learn. This book is perfect for the younger kids as they will love reading about the animals making sounds they shouldn't be making.

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it! This is a wonderfully illustrated and highly entertaining picture book for preschoolers. The story is simple and silly, but I can see my kiddos really enjoying this one! We often discuss animals on the farm and pretend to make their sounds. With this silly twist im sure my children will be correcting me as I go,
The illustrations really make this story! I highly recommend it!
Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for this e-copy in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own.

[Sydnee Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very cute book! The illustrations were well done and the rhyming was fun to read. It was a very unique way to learn animal sounds! Only gave it 4 stars because I would have liked a little bit at the end to wrap things up, being okay with where you're at. Kids are going to love this! I can sense they will laugh at the different animals making sounds.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lot of fun. A cow want s to run and wander like a hours and says neigh. The horse likes the duck and says quack. It’s all a lot of fun. The story builds on itself with the barnyard animals. The illustrations match. This is an excellent book for any story time collection.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cow Said Neigh! is a super cute book. I recommend it for all young readers. I give it five plus stars.

[***Book Lady *** · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this little children's book was funny, and the youngsters will think so too. All the animals make different animal sounds, and I loved the rhyming dialogue.

[Bettendorf Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Illustrations and rhyming text follow a series of farm animals as each wishes it could be another, and lets out the sound of the animal it envies. -Christine

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is ADORABLE! Children will have so much fun saying the animal sounds and will get a good laugh that the wrong animal is making the sound. Not necessarily a good book to teach animal sounds with since they'd be associated with the wrong animal, but a good book for children old enough to know which animal makes which sound. The illustrations are gorgeous in this book. It is a very cute storyline, carrying with it the lesson that we all want what we can't have, and so should appreciate what we do have.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kids love things that are silly, and they also love making animal sounds, so this book hits to sweet spots.

The story is about animals that wish they were other animals, because, well, their life looks more interesting, and fun, than their present life. Thus, we have all sorts of farm animals saying things they shouldn't be. The horse quacks, the dog meows, and the duck baas.





As another reviewer pointed out, the ending is a bit lame, and doesn't wrap up the story, but most kids won't care. They will probably be laughing at the silly animals that don't know what they should be saying.

#TheCowSaidNeigh!(pictureBook) #NetGalley

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title piqued my interest when my grandson handed it to me and by the end, I was in love with it! The repetition is perfect for preschool-early elementary readers/listeners, the illustrations realistic and kid-friendly and the silliness will entertain everyone. And if you like books with a message, this one presents a farming fun look at the idiom and theme “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” as each animal wishes to have something that another one has and lets out that animal’s sound instead of their own. Loved it.

[Angela (Kentuckybooklover) Brocato-Skaggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very entertaining book for children up to kindergarten/first grade as they learn to read. The very young ones will love learning the sounds animals make and what sounds they should make. The illustrations are gorgeous. Very colorful.

I would definitely use this in any preschool classroom I am in.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson's Children's division through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looking for a fun farm animals toddler book? Look no farther. Pigs making dog noises. Dogs making cat noises. This farm has gone crazy goofy. Just the right kind of fun for your little ones. And the best part, you can enjoy the fun with them. The illustrations are colorful that it will bring a smile to everyone!

A Special Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Cindy Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute Book

I loved this book. The illustrations were beautifully drawn. I would highly recommend this book for children for it’s ,I’ve of animals nd not being afraid to say the wrong things accidentally.

[R.A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Haha that was a funny book!! I loved the illustrations as well! :) This is a great read for any age (in my opinion) but particularly for toddlers!

**I received a copy of this book from its publisher on NetGalley in exchange for my honest review**

[Vonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the cutest and most heart felt books I have read for my preschoolers and my 2 year old. Be you and be the best you that you can. Love you! Thank you Rory Feek for using your talent for the rhyming, sing song story! It was fun!

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

All the animals on the farm are jealous of one another and changing the way they speak to be more like other animals. What will the farmer do? Preschool and up

[Conny Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

“There once was a cow in a barn who could see
A horse in a field who ran wild and free.
‘If I were a horse, I could run free all day.’
And the cow opened his mouth and let out a big … neigh!” states at the beginning of Rory Feek’s board book, The Cow Said Neigh!: A Farm Story.

~ What ~
At twenty-six pages, this board book with rounded corners and a padded front cover targets children four to eight years of age. With no scary scenes, it is a rhyming tale about animals on a farm who wish they were other animals and end up sounding like their chosen one. Full page color illustrations of cute animals in broadly painted farm settings cover the pages.

Written in four rhyming lines with some complicated wording that covers two open pages, this short story has a cow wishing he was a horse, the horse preferring he was a duck, the duck wanting to be a sheep, the sheep envisioning being a pig, the pig coveting to be a dog, the dog considering being a cat, and the cat musing to be the farmer. After each makes the sounds of the animal they want to be, the farmer has no other choice but to make a sound too.

~Why ~
Having grandchildren, I love reading silly books to them, especially mixing up the words or sounds that animals make to have them correct me. This is a perfect read when they come to visit as the animals may want to be another animal for a specific reason, but their voices are the only thing that changes. I like the cute farm illustrations and how their eyes were closed when they made their wishes yet opened when they spoke at the end.

~ Why Not ~
Those who do not like books that are realistically impossible or have no sense of adventure will not like reading this one to a child, for fear they are teaching them incorrect animal sounds. Some may notice that the book never addresses wishing to be someone else, perhaps never accepting who you are.

~ Wish ~
With the topic mainly being observant of other animals and sounds animal makes, the book lacks to be content with your stance in life and that God made you special who you are.

~ Want ~
If you are looking for a children’s book that can be a fun and silly way to explain animal sounds, this board book would be engaging. Although I know I will enjoy teasing my grandkids with it, I may have to take a step further by explaining we are all created by God and designed by Him to be who we are so there is no need to wish to be someone else.

* Do note the book is available in hardbound, board book, and kindle format. The difference between the hardbound and board book is that the hardbound has an ownership page at the front and has more pages because the ending is spread out more compared to the board book.

Thanks to Book Look Bloggers for this complimentary book that I am under no obligation to review.

[Jeanie Cullip · Rating 4 out of 5]

New York Times bestseller Rory Feek, The Cow Said Neigh! comes to a bookstore near you, tomorrow October 2nd. This delightful picture book is sure to be read time and time again. I would like to thank Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for an Advanced Digital Copy in exchange of my honest review.

The publisher shares: A fun and humorous tale of farm animals who wish they were like the other animals . . . which leads to a farm-full of confusion! The cow wants to run free like a horse, the sheep wants a snout like a pig, the dog wants to be inside like the cat. Soon the entire farm is in chaos! With silly farm animal sounds, clever rhymes, and adorable art; will have kids of all ages laughing out loud as they celebrate the unique strengths in each of us.

An answer to the age old question, Is the grass greener on the other side? It seems as though the animals think that they are. Things go awry when a group of farm animals investigate what it feels like to switch places – much to their farmer’s surprise! Inspired by some of the animals on Feek’s own farm this is an entertaining story which comes to life with the vivid illustrations from Bruno Robert.

I would love to follow this reading of the book with a writing activity that would include an argumentative piece that the students would have to agree or disagree of why or why not the animal was correct or incorrect about the life of the other animal; providing evidence from research about what we know about the animals and their typical lives. Did the animals in the book have it right?

Another activity would include a discussion of what were to occur if we had no more cows, because they all became horses or if we had no more dogs, because they all became cats! I would end the discussion by reminding them that ALL animals and people have a purpose and the world would not be complete without each of them doing what they were suppose to do!

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book for review is “The Cow said Neigh!(picture book): A Farm Story” by Rory Feek and illustrated by Bruno Robert. This book falls in the genre of juvenile fiction,animals and farm animals.

What would do if animals no longer did animal things?

There once was a cow who could see a horse. He wanted to be like that horse so he let out a big

NEIGH! The horse heard him and looked at the duck. He wanted to be like that duck so he said QUACK!

But oh that isn’t where it stops. The duck heard the horse and saw the sheep. Seeing what he liked he let out a huge BAA!

This book dives in animals being different from what we would expect of animals by trying to be some other animals. It is full of rhymes and colorful pictures that are beautifully illustrated. This book is fun for all involved as the page are turned. The words are the right level for those just learning how to read. So either they can read it themselves or bond with a parent who will read it for therm.

I really enjoyed this book. With it being a picture board book it is very sturdy for a young one to hold and it should hold up pretty good. The rhyming is just right. I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed this book even at my age. The ending surprised me. I am surprised I was surprised but loved it. This book is a great book to start off with. I normally give these books away in a book exchange program but instead I will be passing this on along to a little boy that I know. He is bound to enjoy it.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something strange is happening down on the farm. The cow is neighing, and the horse is quacking, what's a farmer to do? Each of the animals wants to be like another. Come along on this endearing and enjoyable adventure, with lively rhythmic rhymes, and charmingly winsome illustrations, a humorous tale wonderful for sharing with the young ones in your life.

Country singer, songwriter, blogger, husband, father, writer Rory Feek, along with illustrator Bruno Robert, bring us this charming children's picture book. Humorous and charming, the fun rhyming gives the story that extra bounce. The bright, classical, yet slightly whimsical illustrations hit just the right note for this story, emphasizing and adding panache.

A fun read, filled with humor, excellent as a read aloud book. Great for younger ages like 2-6. It does a great job of showing how the animals admired the unique talents of others, yet while it’s good to appreciate the gifts that others have, it’s also important to appreciate who we are ourselves. This book makes a great gift for the young person in your life. A fun book that is perfect for reading over and over again.


I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

[Syncopated Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and humorous tale of peculiar farm animals that will have the whole family laughing out loud!

Who doesn't love an adorable picture book?

The Cow Said Neigh! is a delightful book children of all ages will enjoy and is sure to quickly become a family favorite.

This is the story of some unique farm animals who wish they were like other animals on the farm. The cow wants to run free like the horse, the sheep wants a snout like the pig, the dog wants to be inside like the cat -- pretty soon, the entire farm is in chaos!

My favorite parts of this book were the too-cute illustrations by Bruno Robert and the clever rhymes that made reading this book aloud a blast.

My daughter's favorite parts were all the silly animal sounds that she got to shout out as we shared the book together.

Great picture books never get old and this one will be sure to bring a smile to your children's faces every time it's read!

Pick up your own copy and share the fun with your family!

I received a free copy of this product as a member of The Booklook Bloggers Program in exchange for writing a review. All opinions are my own.

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Cow Said Neigh!, written by Rory Feek and illustrated by Bruno Robert, is the story of some peculiar farm animals who wish they were like other animals on the farm. The cow wants to run free like a horse, the sheep wants a snout like a pig, the dog wants to be inside like the cat. Soon the entire farm is in chaos!

The Cow Said Neigh! is a cute story about animals seeing the good of being someone else for a bit. The cow appreciates the freedom of the horse, who likes the look of the duck's quiet life, and so on. The rhymes are cute, and I liked the text style that was used. I think it was the art that caught my eye the most here though. I really enjoyed the colors and lines. There was whimsy to the art, but the lines were still nice and clean. The text placement, style, and color effects were balanced well with the art making the pages cohesive and fun. I think this could become a favorite read for many, and will make readers of all ages smile.