Synopsis
Nadine is as content as a cow can be. Her life on Pete's farm is perfect. She loves to wander off on her own to smell the breezes, visit favorite spots and search for stones for her collection. The other cows snicker at her solitary ways, so when Nadine finds an egg and naively assumes it's a stone, no one bothers to enlighten her. Instead, the other cows urge her to take great care of it.
One day the whole herd is sold to another farm and Nadine's perfect life is shattered. No Pete, no beloved farm and worst of all, no stone to care for. Unless Pete rescues her and takes her home, Nadine will never know of the miracle taking place to her precious stone.
Children's Literature
While the other cows came from far away, Nadine had always lived on Pete's farm. Nadine stays by herself and collects rocks. Because she acts as if she owns the farm, she is called "queen" by the other cows. When the farm becomes too much for Pete to take care of, he sells the herd and decides to grow corn. Nadine becomes despondent, missing not only Pete but also a favorite pet "rock." Pete comes to take her home. A happy Nadine searches for her pet rock only to find it has cracked open and a baby chick hops onto her nose. As the chick grows, it continues to rest on Nadine's head, and with the light behind them, it looks like a crown. Now she doesn't mind being called "Queen Nadine." While the story starts out promising, it meanders and the point becomes lost. There are many questions left unanswered: Why did Pete return to get Nadine if it was too difficult to care for the cows? Is there more to the friendship between the cow and the chicken than just sitting on Nadine's head? Is the story about overcoming name-calling? Kovalski's expressive illustrations add a comical touch to the story but cannot save it.