Mrs. O'Leary's Cow

Mary Ann Hoberman has adapted the well-known song based on the true story of the Great Chicago Fire, "There'll be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight," into a funny and memorable story. When Mrs. O'Leary leaves her lantern in the barn, the cow kicks it over and starts a fire. Hoberman's humorous text and Jenny Mattheson's luminous illustrations keep this picture book comic and non-threatening, and, of course, the fire is put out in the end by 10 heroic firefighters.

Mary Ann Hoberman is the author of many books for children, including the critically acclaimed A House Is a House for Me, which won a National Book Award, the NYTimes bestselling You Read to Me, I'll Read to You, and the Sing-Along Stories series. Ms. Hoberman lives with her husband in Greenwich, CT.

Jenny Mattheson is a graduate of the Art Institute of Boston and has illustrated such books as The Mouse, the Cat, and Grandmother's Hat. She lives in Berkeley, CA.