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Cocoa is a horse with a sense of humor, and Cowgirl Kate knows just how to handle her frisky pal. In a series of short chapter stories, Cocoa shows his mettle and his stubbornness, but with an endearing personality that makes Cowgirl Kate smile every time.
Part pal, part pet, Cocoa is always hungry, demanding apples and stories from Kate. He is always doing her bidding in the end, though, because Kate is clever enough to handle Cocoa with a bit of creativity. In one story, Cowgirl Kate offers Cocoa a surprise after he eats his morning oats. Too curious to bother with his boring breakfast, Cocoa rips open Kate’s present and begins chewing it vigorously.
Unfortunately, the present doesn’t taste so good. Of course not; it is a straw hat, now all chewed up, with three holes instead of two for Cocoa’s ears. The present is a straw hat and the joke is on Cocoa, who learns a lesson about patience.
In “Bedtime in the Barn,” Cowgirl Kate takes her sleeping bag to the barn overnight, prepared to stay with Cocoa. Just drifting off to sleep, Kate is awakened by Cocoa’s incessant demands - “Fluff my straw…I’m hungry…my water is low.” Later, when Kate is frightened by an owl, she curls up next to her horse, warm and secure.
The paintings by Betsy Lewin are charming, complementing the marriage of little girl and her fanciful horse, happy adventures for young readers.
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Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa