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RELEASED: OCTOBER 06, 2026
Cow and Sow
by Matthew Farina, illustrated by Doug Salati
(Tundra Books, Penguin Random House) 2026
48 pages, Age 3-7 years
Take a spin on the ice with Cow and Sow in this warm and witty picture book about the uplifting power of friendship from award-winning author Matthew Farina and Caldecott medalist Doug Salati.
Matthew Farina signing copies of Cow and Sow at Books of Wonder, New York City, October 11, 2026.
Matthew at the Glen Rock Children’s Book Festival, October 3, 2026.
ORDER a copy of this new, warm-hearted cold weather classic.
It’s wintertime, and old friends Cow and Sow are bored of being cooped up inside. When the two take a walk and literally stumble onto a frozen pond, they discover the thrills of skating — the gliding, the spinning, the jumping!
But as their newfound fun takes a competitive turn, things heat up. Soon it isn’t just the ice that’s beginning to crack . . .
The pair behind the Ezra Jack Keats Honor award-winning picture book Lawrence in the Fall team up again in this tongue-in-cheek homage to one of figure-skating’s most essential jumps, the Salchow!
"What starts as a slapstick lark deepens, in the hands of collaborators Farina and Salati (Lawrence in the Fall), into a wise meditation on new skills and old friends. . . . It’s a gentle landing that lets this deftly turned book glide into something very much like grace." —STARRED REVIEW, Publishers Weekly
"Farina and Salati’s story has a timeless, universal quality. . . . A book that guarantees hours of pure comfort and joy, in all manner of weather." —STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews
"Farina and Salati offer an engaging picture book that sets up simple story elements in a clear way from beginning to end. . . . The clever wordplay leads to a delightful ending that will amuse adult readers and can be used as an example of a pourquoi tale for children[.]" —STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal
"Plenty of laughs will be had throughout as the two farm animals show unexpected athleticism, their hefty bodies floating effortlessly across the ice. Farina describes a warm friendship, while Salati’s art cheekily extends that story." —The Horn Book
"Matthew Farina’s text tells just enough of the story, allowing readers to expand on the essentials. . . . Doug Salati’s pencil, gouache and digital illustrations are a marvel of color and form. . . . This is the continuation of a beautiful friendship." —Imaginary Elevators
