Moo, by Sharon Creech

(Paperback, 288 pages, first published in 2021)

This uplifting New York Times bestseller reminds us that if we’re open to new experiences, life is full of surprises.

Fans of Newbery Medal winner Sharon Creech will love her newest tween novel, Moo. Following one family’s momentous move from the city to rural Maine, an unexpected bond develops between twelve-year-old Reena and one very ornery cow.

When Reena, her little brother, Luke, and their parents first move to Maine, Reena doesn’t know what to expect. She’s ready for beaches, blueberries, and all the lobster she can eat. Instead, her parents “volunteer” Reena and Luke to work for an eccentric neighbor named Mrs. Falala, who has a pig named Paulie, a cat named China, a snake named Edna—and that stubborn cow, Zora.

This heartwarming story, told in a blend of poetry and prose, reveals the bonds that emerge when we let others into our lives.

Storyglory Cautions: Several (silly) insults like “stupid doofy head” and “frog brain.” The children wonder if their grouchy neighbor is a witch. The middle-grade characters are the first to find the body of their neighbor after she passes away; this is delicately described and is sad, not gruesome. Plenty of descriptions of animal dung and urine as the kids care for farm animals.

Recommended Age: 10-14