Welcome to Mr. Cow Books
What were you thinking, Mr. Cow?! is a book series of simple, silly stories written & illustrated for children ages 3 – 8. They're created for you to laugh, read out loud, and enjoy the goofiness with your children.
the official site of Mr. Cow Books children's stories written & illustrated by Jay Risner
Funny & Relatable
Hey! I've done that!
The best humor is the kind we can all relate to. You'll recognize many of the situations Mr. Cow gets himself into — and laugh, because you'll see yourself in Mr. Cow.
Oh, I get it!
A parent reads a Mr. Cow book with their child and laughs because they understand the moment. The child laughs because Mr. Cow is nutty. But the parent can also point out a subtle lesson in the story:
• perseverance• imagination
• confidence
• the importance of a plan
Both parent and child are laughing, but maybe for totally different reasons. And that shared laughter builds connection.
Laughing with your child creates a healthy bond that lasts a lifetime.
The books!
All of the Mr. Cow Books on Amazon! All of them! ⇨
Dig Deeper! Discussion questions for parents & adults
Get more out of the books. Questions & Insights for kids from each story ⇨
#1 Mr. Cow Builds a Swing
Amazon ⇨
When Mr. Cow sees the little girl next door has a swing that is way too small, he's confident he can build her a new one. Seriously, how hard could it be? All you need is... a chainsaw, some coffee, peanut butter sandwiches... other stuff maybe. But you don't need a plan... Plans are for people who don't know what they're doing. Right?
Questions PDF
#2 Mr. Cow, the Duke of Duct Tape
Amazon ⇨
Disaster strikes! Mr. Cow's mailbox broke and fell over!
That ain't gonna work! But fear not! He can fix it... with duct tape! In fact, he can fix a LOT of things with duct tape.
Look around. Do you see something broken? If something is broken, you can fix it with duct tape. And if you can't fix it with duct tape, it probably can't be fixed.
But you have to try, right?!
Questions PDF
#3 Mr. Cow and the Friendly Disagreement
Amazon ⇨
Uh oh! A heated disagreement threatens to break a friendship.
Both parties dig in their heels and won't budge! One uses logic and reason. The other... is just stubborn and kinda crazy.
Can their friendship survive?
What if it's about something important... REALLY important... like money... like FIVE BUCKS?!
Questions PDF
#4 Mr. Cow in Space Patrol: the Pesky Potato Pirates
Amazon ⇨
To the ship!
Have you ever dreamed of being a heroic super cool space trooper cruising the galaxy and catching thieving space pirates in
your super cool spaceship with clean lines and blasters... in space? That'd be sweet! Do you want fries with that?
For Mr. Cow, the answer to both questions is, "Yes."
Questions PDF
#5 Mr. Cow Has a Sad Friend
Amazon ⇨
What's your stinkin' problem?
Have you ever tried to cheer up someone but it didn't work? You try everything — a cookie, a milkshake, a funny joke, a flower, a rock... even a peanut butter sandwich!
But nothing works.
Why can't you just make them happy? What could their problem possibly be? Can Mr. Cow cheer up his sad friend?
Questions PDF
#6 Mr. Cow, the Fantastical Forklifter
Amazon ⇨
Do you ever have a lot of work to do but you just don't have time to get it all done?
Wouldn't it be amazing if you could get all that work done in a fraction of the time
- how about two days worth of work done before lunch? That sounds fantastic!
What you need is "efficiency" and Mr. Cow can show you how.
Questions PDF
#7 Mr. Cow and the Doorway of Forgetfulness
Amazon ⇨
I forgot again....
I need to do something. But as I begin to do it, I forgot what I was doing. How does that happen? It's like when I walk through the doorway I just forget! Am I strange?
Am I the only one that ever experiences this?
Nope. Mr. Cow experiences this too.
That doesn't mean you're not strange though.
Questions PDF
#8 Mr. Cow, the Grumbling Shoveler
Amazon ⇨
Everything is covered in a thick blanket of sparkling snow. It's so beautiful.
It's also cold and wet and thick and it must be shoveled. Oh, what a terrible ordeal. Let the grumbling begin.
All Mr. Cow can think about is how terrible this chore is.
But maybe there's another way to look at it.
Maybe something good will come from all that shoveling.
Questions PDF
#9 Mr. Cow in Space Patrol: Attack of the Computer Bugs
Amazon ⇨
Wow! There are a LOT of lines of code in this computer file.
Everybody has experienced it.A bug... a computer bug. A big, ugly, nasty, treacherous bug making everything act crazy. What a disaster. What can be done to fix this out of control calamity? It takes brains to solve this kind of problem. Blasters help too.
Questions PDF
#10 Mr. Cow, the Famous Author and Illustrator
Amazon ⇨
This story practically writes itself!
When inspiration strikes you can't ignore it, especially if it literally knocks you down.
What if it's ridiculous... unrealistic... delusional?
Sit down and think through how to make it happen... all the details that need to be dealt with.
Then run with it with great confidence! And hope for the best!
Questions PDF
#11 Mr. Cow, the Perfect Snowman
Amazon ⇨
Ah, the joy of building a snowman — something everyone should do sometime in their life.But if you're going to build a snowman, make it look good. It can't be an average normal snowman. Don't make it too small. Make it fantastic, amazing... unforgettable! Make an awesome snowman. Make the perfect snowman!
Questions PDF
#12 Mr. Cow and the Rubber Ducky Developers
Amazon ⇨
Have you ever struggled with a complicated problem?
Maybe you just need some expert advice.
Try explaining the problem to someone.
Often when you explain your problem to someone
you suddenly realize the solution all on your own! At least, that's how it's supposed to work.
Mr. Cow hasn't quite figured this out.
Questions PDF
#13 Mr. Cow Conquers the Clutter
Amazon ⇨
Do you have too much clutter?
Is it hiding your things?
Is it lurking in closets?
Is it taking over your house?
You don't need to suffer like that.
Mr. Cow can show you how to take charge and conquer the clutter!
You might not be able to find anything afterwards,
but that's a small price to pay for peace and serenity.
Questions PDF
#14 Mr. Cow, Creature of Myth and Legend
Amazon ⇨
Is bigfoot real?
Some people search for him, but Mr. Cow just wants to go for a quiet, peaceful walk in the woods.
He just wants to enjoy nature, looking at critters and trees.
Now, Mr. Cow does not look like bigfoot, but if someone saw a bipedal cow sauntering through the forest they might get excited.
Yea, that could be kinda strange.
Questions PDF
#15 Mr. Cow in the Old West Waffler
Amazon ⇨
Have you ever been hungry... like really hungry...
like so hungry that you're in a bad mood... angry even?
Have you ever been HANGRY?!
Oh yea, it happens to
lots of people. There's a cure for the hangries though. Mr. Cow knows what it is! Read this book to learn about Mr. Cow's amazing hangriness cure and transform from hangry to happy!
Questions PDF
#16 Mr. Cow and the Big, Comfy, Free Chair
Amazon ⇨
Have you ever stumbled upon something you really needed... or wanted...
or maybe you just thought it might be nice to have?
Sounds like something you can't pass up... hmmmm... gotta think about it.
OK. It's free. Do you want it or not?!
Mr. Cow can't pass up the free thing he found.
It's just what he's always wanted. But will it work?
Questions PDF
#17 Mr. Cow Cuts His Own Firewood
Amazon ⇨
Some people burn firewood during the winter. How do they get that firewood? Do they buy it or go cut it themselves? Oh, Mr. Cow has extremely passionate, strong convictions about this and is not afraid to let people know! You might as well read this and find out what he has to say for yourself, 'cuz he’s not gonna stop talking about it.
Questions PDF
#18 Mr. Cow, the Peanut Butter Baker
Amazon ⇨
Have you ever baked cookies, or bread or muffins? Did you stick to the recipe or did you "improve" it? Some people just can’t stick to the recipe. There’s always some extra, magical ingredient that makes the food taste just a little bit better.
How about you? Do you have something special you like to add to your food? Mr. Cow does.
Questions PDF
#19 Mr. Cow and the Garage Sale
Amazon ⇨
Have you ever had a garage sale? It’s a lot of work but think of all the junk you can get rid of… and all the money you can make! People actually buy your junk and haul it off! What could be better
than that? Of course, you need to be ready to negotiate with all those awesome customers. You need to be ready to make deals.
You need to be ready to haggle.
Questions PDF
#20 Mr. Cow, Pirates of the Pork and Beans
Amazon ⇨
With a little imagination you can turn an ordinary object into something amazing – like a cardboard tube can be a telescope, or a stump can transform into a pirate ship. A stump into a pirate ship?
Oh, sure. A stump can be anything, but a pirate ship is a pretty good option. Not everyone will see it that way, but never let reality get in the way of a wild imagination!
Questions PDF
#21 Mr. Cow Mows the Lawn
Amazon ⇨
Mowing the lawn can be a monotonous chore – back and forth, back and forth. But if you pause you might notice things around you, like birds, the sensation of the mower engine through the handle, and the intoxicating fragrance of freshly cut grass.
Have you ever noticed the rich aroma of freshly cut grass? Mr. Cow sure has and it is an overwhelming experience!
Questions PDF
#22 Mr. Cow in the Rhubarb Rustler of the Old West
Amazon ⇨
Turnips. Brussel sprouts. Leaks. What do they all have in common? Yep. Hardly anybody wants to eat ‘em!
How about… rhubarb? Have you ever even heard of rhubarb?
Well, some people make baked goods out of this toxic vegetable that are fabulously delicious. It’s such a wild feat you might think it’s illegal. But it’s not illegal.
It’s fine… so long as you don’t steal the rhubarb!
Questions PDF
Book Reactions
Makes me chuckle while reading to grandkids. - Anthony G
I just read your book... lololololol. It's almost like I could relate. - Dave S
I really like these books! They are funny and approachable with a deep wisdom. - Dylan M
Practical, principled and fun. Bought the entire series for our grandson. - Brenda H
I absolutely love the book. Your drawings are great! - Stephanie T
Wonderful art work with humor, life lessons for all ages - Jan A
I've read several books in the Mr. Cow series and can recommend all of them. - Joel R
I like Mr. Cow. He's an idiot! - Jake W
The author
Jay Risner is a writer, illustrator, and dad who created Mr. Cow Books to bring laughter to families through silly, unexpected stories. With a love for ridiculous humor and hand-drawn cows, he set out to write books that adults would enjoy reading and that would spark giggles and imagination in children. He lives in Kansas, with his wife, daughter and cats, where he drinks lots of coffee and laughs at Mr. Cow.
Jay grew up wanting to draw... for a living...
but he chickened out.
Many decades later, having worked in graphic design and web design and web development and blah, blah, blah, Jay decided that instead of a mid-life crisis (waaaaaay too much work) he'd pursue what, perhaps, he should have done in the first place – something related to drawing.
Since the late 1990's he's dreamt (dreamed? dreamt?) of making a series of Mr. Cow books.
In April of 2024 when the opportunity was presented to turn dream into reality, he uncharacteristically jumped at the chance. The result? The What were you thinking, Mr. Cow?! book series!
Here's his cartoonish pre-author/illustrator resume: the resume
For a more verbose backstory...How'd this all start?
Once upon a time, there was this guy working at a job... This is taking too long.
Around nineteen hundred and ninety five I was working a job on campus wherein there was a little snack counter outside my office. They had some plush animals there and one of them was a stuffed cow that I always thought was funny.
Somehow I aquired, without payment, said cow. When my wife and I went on our honeymoon we took this plush cow along kinda as a joke. We took a few photos joking that it was the cow's big road trip.
But that got me thinking about the idea of stories around this cow character. I began sketching out this cow character and storyboarding ideas in a sketchbook.
Years, actually nearly a couple decades, passed and I never really did anything with this cow story thing. I'd talk about it... do little drawings from time to time, but never actually dove in. I didn't know how!
In 2024 my wife learned that one of the women she knew in a ministry they were both involved in, helped people write and publish kids books. My wife remembered me talking about this cow character and we connected the dots. In April of '24 we decided to pull the trigger and began working with Jill Wolf.
Up to that point I'd been working as an independent coldfusion web developer. On a Tuesday I had a meeting with Jill to start the project. The VERY next day the project I'd been working on — our entire household income — dried up without notice.
I panicked. I prayed. And what I heard from God was... "Shut up! Quit crying. You have work to do (the books). Go do it!" That wasn't exactly the comfort I was hoping to hear, but I put my shoulder to the plow and got to work.
As weeks turned into months and months turned into a year without any income, occassionaly I'd start to panic and worry. Everytime I did I got a stiff rebuke from God, "No you don't! You don't fear. You trust me."
This income-less venture is nothing I ever would have done. As the provider for my house I never would have walked away from income to pursue 'a dream'. I've had good jobs and terrible jobs, but I always plugged away to provide. So, working on this project that doesn't produce income for a long time has been a massive test of obedience and faith. I don't have a plan B. I didn't choose this plan! But I'm walking it out as diligently and faithfully as I can.
I trust God will take care of us even though I don't know exactly what that'll look like. Hopefully it involves Mr. Cow becoming famous... and wealthy! Coffee and cat food require money.
The creative process
Turning funny ideas into books on Amazon ⇨
It usually starts with a goofy idea... either some random phrase like "Your cat, Wilbur, owes me five bucks." or a reflection on some personal real-life experience... like wrecking a forklift... repeatedly, or wondering why a fellow web developer has a rubber duck on his desk.
After writing and reworking a draft, I send it to Jill Wolf . She helps shape the story's flow and pacing—and often brings new ideas to the table. The whole concept of the Couchland Adventure books leading into the Mr. Cow at Work series came from our conversations.
Once the writing is finalized, I illustrate each page by hand, photograph the drawings, touch them up in Photoshop, and lay everything out for print.
Let's talk!
I'd love to talk more about Mr. Cow and other stuff.
There really is more to life than coffee and peanut butter sandwiches.
Email: info@mrcowbooks.com
or fill out the contact form below.
