It's hard not to instantly fall for "Millie Waits for the Mail" the second you see the cover. It appears that a shy or perhaps pensive cow is peeking around a tree as she waits for the mail. The look on her face is priceless. "Is it here?" she seems to say.

Opening up this short story by Alexander Steffensmeier, you think exactly that. It's about a cow who likes to get mail. Maybe a letter from a pen pal. A box of candy from grandma. Or even the latest issue of  "Ranger Rick."

But Millie isn't that sort of cow at all. She's far more mischievous than she looks. She's not waiting for the mail. She's waiting for the mailman! In fact, she's waiting to attack the mailman.

She hides in the flower bed. She sneaks up a tree. She does everything she can to scare the dickens out of the guy carrying the bills.

The cute premise, along with great, chicken-filled illustrations by Steffensmeier, make this book hilarious for the reader and any audience willing to look and listen. Beyond the chickens, pay attention to Millie's body language through the book. It's perfect. You know exactly what Millie's thinking. You feel her excitement.

So if you need to keep a squirmy kid laughing "Millie Waits for the Mail" is the perfect solution — and you can bet the farm on that.

ISBN: 0-8027-9662-1 or 978-08027-9662-2

PUBLISHER: Walker Publishing Co.

YEAR: 2006

AUTHOR: Alexander Steffensmeier

ARTIST: Alexander Steffensmeier

TOUGHEST WORDS: Dangling, grease, shrill

DENSITY OF TEXT: Light and quick to read

COMIC BOOK-NESS: Not really, but it has a comic-book dynamic.

WOULD IT BE A GOOD MOVIE? No, but it would be a funny cartoon short.

THEMES: Cows, chickens, farms and mail carriers

WEBSITE: Alexander Steffensmeier Illustration