"The cow that swam out to sea" helps children with life's big events

Our new range of Stories for Little Queenslanders books is designed especially for 0-5 year olds, and has been created by authors and illustrators connected to Queensland. 

Matilda dreams of seeing new places and things, away from her ordinary life on the farm. But she never expected to see them by being washed away in a flood! Will she ever see the other cows again? Based on a true story of a cow’s journey down the Brisbane River, this is a book about finding courage and being brave.

About the book

A book to use to help children process and understand big emotions that might come up when you're coping in stressful situations.

This book begins with Matilda on a farm where she is comfortable in her surroundings, but she unexpectedly goes on a journey to the unknown. The book is beautifully illustrated with atmospheric drawings of the farm and the city, night and day. There are great new words for children to try out, and if they're from Brisbane they'll love spotting familiar city sights.

Why is this a good book to share? 

Reading a book with a character that goes through a hard time can help children feel more confident that things will turn out okay. Stories can help children prepare for tough times such as natural disasters, extreme weather and other stressful events.

Use this book to talk with children about their emotions. Let them know it’s natural to feel scared or sad sometimes.

The Cow that Swam Out to Sea about Matilda being swept away in a flood has a happy ending although she goes through many difficulties and difficult emotions along the way. 

Other books you could try are Queensland Health's books about natural disasters.

Ideas for sharing this book together

• Start with the cover and ask your little one if they recognise the location. Do they see somewhere they've visited before? Have they ever been on a trip to a city?
• Are there some things that give them comfort when they feel scared, like a pet or a favourite toy or song?
• Matilda experiences many emotions. Chat about how we can tell from her expression and what her face is doing.
• Have you noticed the bird on every page? Ask them to find the bird as you read.
• How do people work out where they're going? Talk about maps, signs, timetables and other things we use to understand directions and our position in the world around us.
• Don’t skip over big words such as curious, snatched, cascaded, and ambled. Act out the words or point to the images to provide meaning. Join in getting stuck in the icky thicky, sticky mud!
• Encourage kids to join in the MOOO sound in capital letters.
• How did the farmer know where Matilda came from? Go back to the cover to point out the name tag in Matilda’s ear.  

About the author

Pamela Rushby is a writer and a producer of educational television, audio and multimedia. She’s written over 200 fiction and non-fiction books. Her historical novel, When the Hipchicks Went to War, won the Ethel Turner Prize in the NSW Premier's Literary Awards 2010.

About the illustrator 

Dr Nicola Hooper is a Brisbane/Logan based artist and arts educator. Her studio practice explores human and animal relationships through drawing and lithography. Nicola creates artists books, wallpapers, lithographic paper sculptures, 2D lithographic prints and drawings.