Audrey (cow) by D. Bar-el

ar-el, Dan.  Audrey (cow), illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss. Tundra Books, 2014.In an amazing series of first person accounts, Dan Bar-el details the escape of a Charolais cow, Audrey, from her apparent destiny: the abattoir.  Both her ordeal and her survival   involve a huge cast of characters, some loving, some nasty, some honorable, some mercenary, some clever, some daft.  Those most instrumental in Audrey’s salvation include Eddie, her devoted dog friend; Buster, a brilliant but introverted pig; Boris an outcast but ingenious skunk; and Fay, a warm hearted but political wily animal rights activist.  Those at best indifferent to her existence (and, at worst, complicit in plotting her death) include Kasey the cattle truck driver, and Claudette, the cougar.   There are, however, countless others who detail their role in Audrey’s harrowing adventure.  Each role, in its own way, is significant in the course of events.  The brilliance of Bar-el’s storytelling is that he gives every character a unique and engaging voice; in fact, the tale just begs to be dramatized or animated. Tatjana Mai-Wyss’s black and white drawings appeal to the eye, mind and heart.  Some provide a necessary explanation for the reader.  In particular, the drawing of the latch mechanism (p. 71) that Audrey must unhook to flee from the truck makes plausible the cow’s escape.Most independent readers (grades three to six) could handle the text and would find the story both emotionally engaging and exciting.  It is, in fact, so suspenseful (and Audrey’s possible plight so horrifying) that a sensitive child might need reassurance that the final outcome is a happy one.  Reading the story aloud to younger children could prove a challenge; without the visual clue of the speakers’ names (entered as subheadings)little listeners could lose their way in the multiplicity of first person accounts.  However, if you are a storyteller who excels at “doing voices,” this book is for you; hesitate not to share it with the very young.  Finally, a trigger warning: this book could lead to youthful declarations of vegetarianism!Reviewer:  Leslie AitkenHighly recommended:  4 stars out of 4Leslie Aitken’s long career in librarianship included selection of children’s literature for school, public, special, and academic libraries.  She is a former Curriculum Librarian at the University of Alberta.