Cowboy Ned & Andy (Paula Wiseman Books) - Hardcover

David Ezra Stein was born in Brooklyn, New York. He currently lives in Queens County, where he works as a set illustrator. On the side he is a daydreamer, a doodler,and a noodler in all kinds of media. His artwork has appeared in American Illustration, the New Yorker, and the New York Times. This is his first picture book.

PreSchool-Grade 2–Cowboy Ned and his horse, Andy, spend a hot, tiring day driving cattle. That night, Andy listens as Ned reveals that tomorrow is his birthday and bemoans the fact that his family is not there to celebrate. Unable to sleep, the horse decides that the man must have a cake and heads into the desert to find one. After asking assistance from a singing cricket, a wide-eyed owl, and a grouchy scorpion, Andy comes upon the lonely house of an old cowboy. He cannot provide a cake, but he helps Andy to realize that the best thing to have on your birthday is a friend to share it with. As the sun rises, the horse gallops back to camp to give Ned a birthday hug. Stein's language is simple yet expressive. The old cowboy's voice is described as soft, like hooves on sand, and owl wings, and the movements of dust. These images stir the imagination and also evoke the story's action and setting. Done in ink and watercolor, the cartoon illustrations make the most of the Western landscape, depicting a pale gold daytime sky, a soothingly blue moonlit night, and a multihued sunrise. Thick lines highlight the characters and background objects, providing contrast to the fluid colors. Andy is the star here, and his equine features comically convey concern, dejection, and, ultimately, happiness. A satisfying tale of friendship.–Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal
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