MOO-LA-LA-TI-DA!

An ambitious bovine realizes that fancy isn’t necessarily desirable in this picture book.

Ella Bella Bovine likes high heels and glitzy colors. Shania the sheep prefers her shaggy wool just the way it is. One day, Ella Bella decides to give the farmyard a makeover, saying, “I’m going to banish the boring right out of this farm!” After bedecking the place with sparkles, bright paints, and lights, she finds that the farmyard animals want makeovers, too. But when Ella Bella offers to transform Shania, the sheep turns her down—and becomes the butt of jokes by two of their friends. Soon, Ella Bella recognizes that being stylish isn’t what’s important. Instead, she should appreciate her pals for who they are. Three apologies later, the two friends are on the same page—and after a few seasons, Shania reveals why she wanted to grow her wool. Boock, author of the chapter book Kinzie’s Got Talent (2020) and its sequels, masters the art of choosing the perfect words for every page, especially glamorous (and sometimes invented) rhymes: razzled, dazzled, and pizazzleddescribe the farmyard’s renovation. Kuriakose’s painted illustrations are filled with brilliant colors that transform the farm’s original frumpy appearance while highlighting that a sheep’s decision to keep her shag makes her equally lovable. The friendship lesson here, along with the clever turns of phrase and vivid images, are likely to make this a hit with Fancy Nancy series fans.

Cheeky animal makeovers take a back seat to an engaging lesson about kindness.