Floramel and Esteban

by Emilie Buchwald

Well-suited for young readers who hover between beginning and intermediate books, this chapter book is about Floramel, a very lonely and bored cow. Rafie, the boy who milks her once a day, is her only company. He sings her calypso songs and talks to her in the morning before he goes off to work in the fish market.

While Rafie is away, Floramel tries to sing the calypso songs, but she can't make the same sounds. But excitement...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1571316884
• ISBN13: 9781571316882
• Release Date: July 2009
• Publisher: Milkweed Editions
• Length: 80 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 8.1" x 8.1"
• Age Range: 7 to 11 years
• Grade Range: Grades 2 to 6

Customer Reviews

Enriched by the nostalgic-toned black and white illustrations of Charles Robinson

"Floramel and Esteban" is a fabulous modern animal fable about the power of friendship and cooperation between very different entities, laced with the joy and mystery of music. Floramel is an island cow, curious beyond her confining ocean bound life and world. She becomes attached to a lazy cattle egret named Esteban, who helps her understand how birds like cattle egrets can help cows who suffer from insects and their stings and bites. As the relationship develops, Floramel explores her affinity with the world of music, partly due to Esteban's encouragement. Most encouraging of all, when Floramel becomes famous for her cow shell music concerts, Esteban is not jealous, because he knows he wonderful, without needing to be told. "Floramel and Esteban" is enriched by the nostalgic-toned black and white illustrations of Charles Robinson. Its text will appeal to the middle grades of children ages 8-11.