Moonstruck: The True Story of the Cow Who Jumped Over the Moon

by Gennifer Choldenko

A delightfully illustrated, funny book, will appeal to kids slightly older than the Mother Goose crowd who will understand the spoof and appreciate the humor. Reprint.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Humor, Animals

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

There’s a Lego in my bum which fits with the Lego in my chair and when I sit down to write, I hear the satisfying snap of the two pieces fitting together. I love words, dictionaries, thesauruses, sharp pencils, the smell of book ink and the delicious art of carving out sentences on clean white paper. I love to slip into another person’s skin and feel what it’s like to live another life. I love when characters come to me out of nowhere and make me cry so hard my mascara runs or laugh until my stomach hurts. I love the crazy fun and infinite possibility of storytelling.

What prepared me for a life of writing fiction? Though I have a BA from Brandeis University in English and American Literature and a BFA in illustration from Rhode Island School of Design, the true answer is probably genes. I come from a long line of Irish storytellers on my father’s side and theatre people on my mother’s. I always knew I loved to write, but it took me a long time to summon the courage to chase the dream. I finally went for it when I realized I would prefer to be a failure at something I wanted to do, then a success at something I didn’t.

While I was pretending I wasn’t a writer, trying to be a nice person with a nice quiet job somewhere, I sold lingerie, lipstick and lamp shades. I wrote junk mail. I taught visually and hearing-impaired kids horseback riding. I held a prestigious job in rubbish removal and I worked in a factory wearing a paper gown while wielding a large mallet on small serving packages of ketchup.

One Third Nerd, my funniest novel yet, is due out in January 2019. My most famous novel, Al Capone Does My Shirts, garnered 20 awards, one of which was the Newbery Honor. The Tales of Alcatraz series has sold more than 2 million copies. What will probably be the last book in the series: Al Capone Throws Me a Curve is the best of the fifteen books I’ve written so far.

I am a fitness fanatic; a book-obsessed, tennis-playing woman who thinks like a twelve-year-old. If I ever get the good fortune to meet you, offer me coffee and I will be your friend for life.

Reviews

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one won me over. A well written, fantastical tale. Excellent rhythm.

[M.M. Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The summary for this book does not even measure up to the hilarity of the book itself. The book is told from the viewpoint of a horse. This horse thinks Mother Goose did not give the cow enough credit when she wrote the tale.

You see according to the horse, who happens to be coach and captain of a team who all jump the moon every night. This cow hangs around and thus learns to jump too even though the horses see it as impossible.

Even though I know the fairy tale well, it was fun to read this book as an expanded version of the tale. It was hilarious to see the cow practice but eventually make the team and thus jump the moon with a flair that no other could have.

Kids will enjoy the mostly brown, white and blue pictures with funny character drawings that enhance the book. Kids will find the whole thing absurd but also get the idea that persistence and hard work pay off over time.

This book gets 5 stars from me as it is truly...mooooving!

Disclosure: I purchased this book or my own collections. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Naila Moon

[Applehillcottage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gennifer Choldenko is more famous for her middle grade books Al Capone Does My Shirts, and Al Capone Shines My Shoes. This one, I believe, was written first. It is a hoot! It's one of my favorite funny picture books, but the child you read it to has to know Mother Goose rhymes to get the jokes. It's about a real cow who tries out for the moon jumping team, and is almost laughed out of the pasture. But she perseveres, and soon she's jumping with the best of them. A great story for perseverance! And the illustrations by Paul Yallowitz are great!

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a nice fractured version of the Mother Goose rhyme Hey Diddle, Diddle. I actually really liked the book. It was funny and much fuller than the original poem. I laughed a few times, and it seemed like that was the major goal of this story. Also, it had a nice theme of defying expectations and overcoming obstacles. Good read.

[JC · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the concept, it was just too wordy for a children's picture book. My 31/2 year old had a hard time sticking with it while I ready. Maybe an older child would like better.

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love snarky kids' books that are written for adults as much as for kids.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids always pick out books at the library about space & the moon. So naturally, this was right up their alley. It was like the E True Hollywood Story of how the cow jumped over the moon. Being the grown up reading this to them I could appreciate the similar style even if it went over their heads.

[Rebecca Snodgrass · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a funny story about how Mother Goose messed up the story of the cow jumping over the moon. The sarcastic way the author wrote it is absolutely comical. The pictures are basic pictures, but they fit the story quite well. I love how the horses have a training camp for such an impossible thing. It makes me smile. The ending was even funny. It kept me laughing the whole way through.

[Alice · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this book book would be fun but it was ridiculous and stupid!
What I did enjoy was looking on line to found out what etymology of the story was. The one I like the most is that the story was based on constellations like Taurus, big dipper, canine major. The book was long boring and ...idiotic

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strange, but humorous tale about perseverance, hard work and dreaming big. I read this book to a very attentive six-year-old who was already familiar with the story.

The narrative is silly and motivational at the same time, which is a good mix for a children's book. And the colored pencil illustrations are cartoonish and fun. We enjoyed reading this story together.

[Jennine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Told from the horses perspective, "Moonstruck" chronicles the real story of the cow who jumped over the moon in the classic Mother Goose poem. The hazy illustrations capture the mood of the original text and make this story playful.

[Tichina Fung-chung]

This story gives a spin to classic nursery rhyme of the cow who jumped over the moon. It would be fun to create a compare and contrast chart with students to identify how the nusery rhyme story was alike and different. Then, students can create their own spin to a class nursery rhyme.

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author presented at the BYU symposium. I like the take on this book, that Mother Goose didn't give enough credit to the cow that jumped over the moon, cuz hello! What an accomplishment!

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I liked this one more than my sons did. I thought it was a funny spin on the mother goose nursery rhyme. I'm with the little dog on this one.

[Lisa Hechesky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book to my first grader Read Aloud students. An adorable story of how an unlikely critter (the cow) joins a group of moon-jumping horses for training.

[Ginny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun read at bedtime last night. At first Will didn't want to read about a cow but was definitely intrigued.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

The horse seriously doubts that the cow will ever be able to jump over the Moon but offers respect and admiration when the determined bovine accomplishes that feat.

[Kristen Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

The true story of the cow who jumped over the moon. Too cute! It kind of has the same feel as the little engine that could. I really enjoyed some of the humor and the cute pictures.