K-Gr. 2. This sequel to When Pigs Fly (2001) reprises Ralph the cow's role as a cock-eyed optimist who won't let the whims of evolution dictate what he can or can't do. Last time he helped a pig take to the skies; now he plans to beat the summer heat by learning how to swim. Various pond critters think it's a good joke ("Cows don't swim!") and offer a few desultory pointers that don't translate well to a cow's hulking physique. As impervious to naysayers as ever, Ralph finally devises a solution to his problem (involving a surfboard and four flippers) with the help of a human who admires Ralph's moxie. Though the message of stick-to-itiveness doesn't exactly plot a new course, the bold, stylized artwork, which earned When Pigs Fly a nomination for Canada's national literary prize for picture-book illustration, keeps this well afloat. --Jennifer Mattson Copyright 2003 Booklist

A cow wants to cool off but can't swim and seeks advice. "The gleeful preposterousness of the plot keeps this story afloat," according to PW. Ages 2-7. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

PreS-Gr 2-Ralph, the cow first introduced in When Pigs Fly (Lobster, 2001), is suffering from the heat, so he decides to learn to swim. With the help of Bubbles Bob from the Swim Shop; advice from ducks, a turtle, and a frog; and Ralph's own imagination and dogged persistence, he learns to paddle around the pond on a surfboard, and soon his friend Morris follows suit. The gouache illustrations are vibrant and funny. Ralph's earnest endeavors and often-calamitous accidents are portrayed with wit and sympathy. The clothing and accessory choices are nothing less than inspired, and readers will love the fish playing cards and riding bicycles at the bottom of the pond. Ralph is a fresh and endearing character. His cheerfulness in the face of adversity, and his refusal to listen to the naysayers and settle for conventional bovine behavior, will be an inspiration to youngsters everywhere.-Jane Barrer, Washington Square Village Creative Steps, New York City (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Carping critics may object to Coulman's use of the word "cows" to describe two bovines of the male persuasion, but young readers in search or need of empowerment stories will enjoy this splashy sequel to When Pigs Fly (2001). A paddle in the pond seems a perfect anodyne for a hot day--but cows don't swim, right? "Not yet they don't," responds Ralph to his doubting buddy Morris, as well as skeptical ducks and other pond residents. And, indeed, after repeated failures, plus trips to Bubbles Bob's Swim Shop for goggles and other gear, Ralph ultimately proves his point. RogÉ illustrates the encouraging episode with sunny country scenes of jellybean-shaped ruminants in striped swimwear, flailing about to the amusement (generally) of finned and flippered onlookers. Ralph's example could mooooove readers to take on preconceived limitations with like optimism and determination. (Picture book. 6-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.